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INiV^  DI  OMUr.   L»RARY.  L08  ANG1LI8 


A  CONCISE  ACCOUNT 


OF  THE 


RELIGIOUS  SOCIETY  OF  FRIENDS, 

COMMONLY  CALLED  QUAKERS; 

EMBRACING 

A  SKETCH  OF  THEIR  CHRISTIAN  DOCTRINES 
AND  PRACTICES. 


BY 

THOMAS  EVANS. 


REPRINTED  BY  AUTHORITY  OF  THE  MEETING  FOR  SUFFERINGS 


PHILADELPHIA: 

FOR  SALE  AT  FRIENDS'  BOOK  STORE, 
No.  304  ARCH  STREET. 


TO  THE  READER. 


THE  substance  of  the  following  Essay  is  chiefly  taken 
from  the  approved  writings  of  the  Religious  Society 
of  Friends,  and  the  limits  assigned  to  it  do  not  admit  of 
more  than  a  very  brief  outline  of  its  history  and  doc- 
trines. Those  who  desire  more  full  information  on  these 
subjects,  are  referred  to  the  following  works ;  which  may 
be  obtained  at  Friends'  Book  Store,  No.  304  Arch  Street, 
Philadelphia ;  viz.  : 

George  Fox's  Journal. 

Sewel's  History. 

Barclay's  Apology. 

Barclay's  Catechism. 

Barclay's  Treatise  on  Church  Government. 

Phipps  on  the  Original  and  Present  State  of 
Man. 

Selections  from  the  Writings  of  Isaac  Pen- 
ington. 

William  Penn's  Rise  and  Progress  of  the  People 
called  Quakers. 

An  Exposition  of  the  Faith  of  the  Religious 
Society  of  Friends,  by  Thomas  Evans ; 


2129210 


IV  TOTHEREADER. 

And  the  works  contained  in  the  various  volumes  oi 
the  "FRIENDS'  LIBRARY."  In  this  Periodical  have 
been  published  the  following,  viz. :  A  Sketch  of  the 
Institution  op  the  Discipline  in  the  Society.  No 
Cross,  No  Crown,  by  William  Penn.  The  lives  of 
William  Dewsbury,  William  Penn,  George 
Whitehead,  John  Woolman,  John  Churchman, 
William  Edmundson,  Thomas  Chalkley,  Thomas 
Shillitoe,  Daniel  Wheeler  ;  and  many  other  emi- 
nent members  and  ministers  of  the  Religious  Society  of 
Friends. 


CONTENTS. 


PAGS 

Rise  of  ihe  Society 7 

Notice  of  Geoege  Fox.     .......  9 

Character  of  the  early  Ministers 16 

Discipline.          .          .          .          .....  18 

Church  Government. 20 

Meetings  for  Discipline.          ...*..  23 

DiSOWNMENTS.  25 

Reception  of  Members 25 

Marriages      .  '      .       .     26 

Burials 27 

Poor 29 

Education 30 

Meetings  of  Ministers  and  Elders 30 

The  Three  that  bear  Record  in  Heaven  .  .  .32, 57 
Concerning  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  ....  33, 60 
Of  the  Holy  Spirit    .       .       .       .       .       .       .       .     34, 70 

Of  the  Holy  Scriptures 35, 83 

Fall  of  Man 36 

Restoration  of  Man  by  Christ 38, 92 

Propitiatory  Sacrifice  of  Jesus  Christ  .  .  39, 97, 101 
Resurrection  and  Last  Judgment      ....  42 

Baptism  and  Supper 42, 104 

Worship 44,107 

Ministry  of  the  Gospel     .       .       .  *    .       .       .         45, 115 
1*  V 


VI  CONTENTS. 

PAOa 
Wae 46 

Oaths 49 

Public  Fasts  AND  THE  First  Day  OF  THE  Week    .       .       .49 
Slaveky,  and  the  Use  of  Ardent  Spirits     ...       51 

Magistracy  and  Law 52 

Moderation,  Amusements,  &c 53 

Divinity  and  Offices  of  Jesus  Christ 60 

Of  the  Work  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  the  Soul.       .         70 

Of  Eedemption  by  Jesus  Christ 92 

Prayer 119 

Trade  and  Business 121 

Christian  Liberality 126 

Simplicity  of  Apparel 127 

On  the  Use  of  the  Plain  Language,  Compliments,  &c.       133 

On  the  Names  of  the  Days  and  Months 141 

Moderation  and  Plainness  in  Living,  &c.     .       .       .      144 

Children  and  Domestic  Training 148 

Amusements 150 

Reading 154 

Music 155 

Conclusion .       .       >  i£7 


A  co:n'cise  account 


RELIGIOUS  SOCIETY  OF  FRIENDS. 


THE  Religious  Society  of  Friends,  commonly 
called  Quakers,  is  a  body  of  Christian  pro- 
fessors, which  arose  in  England  about  the  middle 
of  the  seventeenth  century. 

The  civil  and  religious  commotions  which  pre- 
vailed in  that  country  about  this  period,  doubtless 
prepared  the  way  for  the  more  general  and  rapid 
spread  of  gospel  truth.  The  fetters,  in  which 
priestcraft  had  long  held  the  human  mind,  were 
beginning  to  be  loosened.  The  dependence  of 
man  upon  his  fellow-man,  in  matters  of  religion, 
was  shaken,  and  many  sincere  souls,  panting  after 
a  nearer  acquaintance  with  God,  and  a  dominion 
over  their  sinful  appetites  and  passions,  which  they 
could  not  obtain  by  the  most  scrupulous  observ- 
ance of  the  ceremonies  of  religion,  were  earnestly 
inquiring,  "What  must  we  do  to  be  saved?"* 

*  From  the  dawn  of  the  Reformation,  the  spirit  of  religious 
inquirj'  liad  been  kept  alive  and  strengthened  by  the  very  eflforta 

7 


8  A   CONCISE  ACCOUNT  OF 

In  this  liumble,  seeking  state,  the  Lord  was  gra- 
ciously pleased  to  meet  with  them;    sometimes 

used  to  suppress  it.  The  shackles  with  which  priestcraft  had 
attempted  to  bind  the  human  mind,  had  been  in  measure  loosened, 
and  an  earnest  desire  awakened  after  the  saving  knowledge  of  the 
Truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus.  This  was  increased  by  the  troubles  of  the 
times.  The  nation  was  torn  by  intestine  strife.  Civil  war,  with 
its  attendant  evils,  raged  throughout  England,  and  the  lives  as  well 
as  the  property  of  the  subjects,  were  at  the  mercy  of  a  lawless 
soldiery.  Many  were  stripped  of  their  possessions,  reduced  from 
affluence  or  ease  to  poverty  and  want,  and  often  obliged  to  abandon 
their  homes  and  flee  for  their  lives.  This  melancholy  state  of 
affairs  had  a  tendency  to  loosen  their  attachments  from  the  world, 
by  showing  the  precarious  tenure  of  all  earthly  enjoyments,  and  to 
induce  them  to  press  after  those  substantial  consolations  which  are 
only  to  be  found  in  a  religious  life. 

The  ecclesiastical  and  the  civil  power  were  frequently  shifting 
hands,  and  the  national  form  of  religion  changing  with  every 
change  of  rulers;  new  sects  and  opinions  arising,  and  different 
teachers  of  religion  inviting  attention,  and  saying,  "  Lo,  here  is 
Christ,"  or  "Lo,  He  is  there."  In  this  state  of  things  it  is  not 
surprising  that  the  sincere  inquirers  after  the  right  way  of  the 
Lord  should  have  been  greatly  perplexed.  The  effect  of  these 
commotions  was  to  wean  men  from  a  dependence  on  each  other  in 
the  work  of  religion,  and  to  prepare  their  minds  for  the  reception 
of  the  important  truth,  that,  however  useful  instrumental  means 
of  divine  appointment  may  be,  it  is  the  glory  and  excellence  of 
the  gospel  dispensation  that  the  Lord,  by  his  Holy  Spirit,  is  him- 
self the  teacher  of  his  people. 

Previous  to  the  commencement  of  George  Fox's  ministry,  many 
serious  persons  had  withdrawn  from  all  the  acknowledged  forms 
of  public  worship,  and  were  engaged  in  diligently  searching  the 
Holy  Scriptures,  with  prayer  for  right  direction  in  the  path  of 
duty,  and  frequently  meeting  in  select  companies  for  the  worship 
of  Almighty  God  and  their  mutual  edification.  Among  these  the 
preaching  of  George  Fox,  directing  them  to  the  light  of  Christ 
.lesus  in  their  consciences,  found  a  ready  entrance,  and  many  of 
them  joined  in  religious  profession  with  him. 


THE   RELIGIOUS   SOCIETY  OP   FRIEKDS.      9 

without  any  instrumental  means;  at  others,  through 
the  living  ministry  of  George  Fox  or  other  anointed 
servants,  who  were  prepared  and  sent  forth  to 
preach  the  gospel.  The  ministry  of  George  Fox 
was  chiefly  instrumental,  under  the  divine  blessing, 
in  convincing  them  of  the  Christian  principles 
and  testimonies  which  distinguish  the  Society; 
and  his  pious  labours  contributed  in  no  small  de- 
gree to  their  establishment  as  an  organized  body, 
having  a  regular  form  of  church  governmenl 
and  discipline. 

This  devoted  servant  of  Christ  was  born  al 
Drayton,  in  Leicestershire,  in  the  year  1624,  and 
was  carefully  educated  by  his  parents  in  the  Epis- 
copal mode  of  worship.  He  appears  to  have  led  a 
religious  life  from  his  childhood,  and  to  have  been 
deeply  concerned  for  the  salvation  of  his  soul. 
Amid  a  high  profession  of  religion,  then  generally 
prevalent,  he  observed  among  the  people  much 
vain  and  trifling  conversation  and  conduct,  as  well 
as  sordid  earthly-mindedness,  both  which  he  be- 
lieved to  be  incompatible  with  the  Christian  life. 
This  brought  great  trouble  upon  his  mind,  clearly 
perceiving  that  the  profession  in  which  he  had 
been  educated,  did  not  give  to  its  adherents  that 
victory  over  sin  which  the  gospel  enjoins,  and 
which  his  soul  panted  after.  He  withdrew  from 
his  former  associates,  and  passed  much  of  his 
time  in  retirement,  reading  the  Holy  Scriptures, 
and  endeavouring  to  wait  upon  the  Lord  for  the 


10  A   CONCISE  ACCOUNT  OF 

revelation  of  his  Spirit,  to  enable  liim  rightly  to 
understand  the  truths  of  the  gospel. 

In  this  state  of  reverent  dependence  upon  the 
Fountain  of  saving  knowledge,  his  mind  was 
enlio'htened  to  see  into  the  spirituality  of  the 
gospel  dispensation,  and  to  detect  many  errors 
which  had  crept  into  the  professing  Christian 
church.  In  the  year  1647,  he  commenced  his 
labours  as  a  minister  of  the  gospel,  travelling  ex- 
tensively through  England,  generally  on  foot; 
and,  from  a  conviction  that  it  was  contrary  to 
Christ's  positive  command,  he  refused  to  receive 
any  compensation  for  preaching,  defraying  his  ex- 
penses out  of  his  own  slender  means.  The  unc- 
tion from  on  high,  which  attended  his  ministry, 
carried  conviction  to  the  hearts  of  many  of  his 
hearers ;  and  his  fervent  disinterested  labours  were 
crowned  with  such  success,  that  in  a  few  years  a 
large  body  of  persons  had  embraced  the  Christian 
principles  which  he  promulgated.  The  message 
of  George  Fox  appears  to  have  been,  mainly,  to 
direct  the  people  to  Jesus  Clirist,  the  great  Shep- 
herd and  Bishop  of  souls,  who  died  for  them,  and 
had  sent  his  Spirit  or  light  into  their  hearts,  to 
instruct  and  guide  them  in  the  things  pertaining 
to  life  and  salvation.* 

*  In  his  Journal  he  says,  "  I  was  sent  to  turn  people  from  dark- 
ness to  the  light,  that  they  might  receive  Christ  Jesus;  for  to  as 
many  as  should  receive  him  in  his  light,  I  saw  that  He  would  give 
DOW(ir  to  become  the  sons  of  God,  whict   I  had  obtained  by  le- 


THE   RELIGIOUS  SOCIETY  OF   FRIENDS.      11 

To  the  light  or  Holy  Spirit  of  Christ  Jesus,  in 
the  conscience,  he  and  his  fellow-labourers  in  the 
gospel  endeavoured  to  turn  the  attention  of  all,  as 
that  by  which  sin  was  manifested  and  reproved, 
duty  unfolded,  and  ability  given  to  run  with 
alacrity  and  joy  in  the  way  of  God's  command- 
ments. The  preaching  of  this  doctrine  was  glad 
tidings  of  great  joy  to  many  longing  souls,  who 
eagerly  embraced  it,  as  that  for  which  they  had 
been  seeking ;  and,  as  they  walked  in  this  Divine 
Light,  they  experienced  a  growth  in  grace  and  in 
Christian  knowledge,  and  gradually  came  to  be 
established  as  pillars  in  the  house  of  God. 

Many  of  these,  before  they  joined  with  George 
Fox,  had  been  highly  esteemed  in  the  various 
religious  societies  of  the  day,  for  their  distin- 
guished piety  and  experience,  being  punctual  in 
the  performance  of  their  religious  duties,  and 
regular  in   partaking  of  what   are   termed  "  the 

ceiving  Christ.  I  was  to  direct  people  to  the  Spirit  that  gave  forth 
the  Scriptures,  by  wlilch  they  might  be  led  into  all  truth,  and  so  up 
to  Christ  and  God,  as  those  had  been  who  gave  them  forth.  I  wag 
to  turn  them  to  the  grace  of  God  and  to  the  Truth  in  the  heart, 
which  came  by  Jesus ;  that  by  this  grace  they  might  be  taught, 
which  would  bring  them  salvation ;  that  their  hearts  might  be 
established  by  it ;  their  words  might  be  seasoned,  and  all  might 
come  to  know  their  salvation  nigh. 

"  I  saw  that  Christ  died  for  all  men,  was  a  propitiation  for  all, 
and  enlightened  all  men  and  women  with  his  divine  and  saving 
light,  and  that  none  could  be  true  believers  but  those  who  believed 
there'  i.  I  saAV  that  the  grace  of  God,  which  brings  salvation, 
hatli  appeared  to  all  men;  and  that  the  manifestation  of  the  Spirii 
of  God  was  given  to  every  man  to  profit  withal." 


12  A   CONCISE   ACCOUNT  OF 

ordinances."  But  notwitlistanding  thej  endeav- 
oured to  be  faithful  to  the  degree  of  knowledge 
tliey  had  received,  their  minds  were  not  at  rest. 
They  had  not  yet  witnessed  that  redemption  from 
sin,  and  that  establishment  in  the  Truth,  which 
they  read  of  in  the  Bible  as  the  privilege  and  duty 
of  Christians;  and  hence,  they  were  induced  to 
believe  that  there  was  a  purer  and  more  spiritual 
way  than  they  had  yet  found.  They  felt  that  they 
needed  to  know  more  of  the  power  of  Christ  Jesus 
in  their  own  hearts,  making  them  new  creatures, 
bruising  Satan  and  putting  him  under  their  feet, 
and  renewing  their  souls  up  into  the  divine  image 
which  was  lost  in  Adam's  fall,  and  sanctifying 
them  wholly,  in  body,  soul,  and  spirit,  through  the 
inward  operations  of  the  Holy  Ghost  and  fire. 

Great  were  their  conflicts  and  earnest  their 
prayers,  that  they  might  be  brought  to  this  blessed 
experience :  but  looking  without,  instead  of  having 
their  attention  turned  within,  they  missed  the  ob- 
ject of  their  search.  They  frequented  the  preach- 
ing of  the  most  eminent  ministers ;  spent  much 
time  in  reading  the  Holy  Scriptures;  in  fasting, 
meditation  and  prayer,  and  increased  the  strict- 
ness of  their  lives  and  religious  performances ;  but 
still  they  were  not  wholly  freed  from  the  dominion 
of  sin. 

Some,  after  wearying  themselves  with  the  mul- 
titude and  severity  of  their  duties,  without  finding 
the  expected  benefit  from  them,  sepaiated  from  all 


THE   EELIGIOUS  SOCIETY  OF   FRIEND8.      13 

the  Ibrnitj  of  worship  then  practised,  and  sat  down 
together,  waiting  upon  the  Lord,  and  earnestly 
looking  and  praying  for  the  full  manifestation  of 
the  kingdom  and  power  of  the  Lord  Jesus.  Then 
they  were  given  to  see  that  that  which  made  them 
uneasy  in  the  midst  of  their  high  profession  and 
manifold  observances,  and  raised  fervent  breath- 
ings after  the  God  of  their  lives,  was  nothing  less 
than  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  striving 
with  them  in  order  to  bring  them  out  fully  from 
under  the  bondage  of  sin,  into  the  glorious  liberty 
of  the  children  of  God. 

They  were  brought  to  feel  that  they  had  been 
resting  too  much  in  a  mere  historical  belief  of  the 
blessed  doctrines  of  the  gospel,  the  birth,  life, 
miracles,  sufferings,  death,  resurrection,  ascension, 
mediation,  intercession,  atonement,  and  divinity 
of  the  Lord  Jesus:  but  had  not  sufficiently  looked 
for,  and  abode  under,  the  heart-changing  and  sanc- 
tifying power  of  the  Holy  Spirit  or  Comforter;  to 
seal  those  precious  truths  on  the  understanding, 
and  give  to  each  one  a  living  and  practical  interest 
in  them  ;  so  that  they  might  really  know  Christ  to 
be  tlieir  Saviour  and  Redeemer,  and  that  He  had, 
indeed,  come  into  their  hearts  and  set  up  his  right- 
eous government  there.* 

*  In  the  progress  of  their  religious  experience,  they  were  con 

vincc'd  that  they  had  been  improperly  depending  on  a  bare  belief 

of  what  Christ  liad  done  and  sutTered  for  tliem  when  personally 

on  earth,  and  also  on  the  ceremonies  of  religion,  without  sufficiently 

2 


14  A  CONCISE   ACCOUNT  OP 

This  was  tlie  dawning  of  a  brighter  day  to  their 
souls ;  and,  as  they  attended  in  simple  obedience 
to  the  discoveries  of  this  Divine  Light,  they  were 
gradually  led  to  see  farther  into  the  spirituality  of 
the  gospel  dispensation.  The  change  which  it 
made  in  their  views  was  great,  and  many  and  deep 
were  their  searchings  of  heart,  trying  the  fleece 
both  Avet  and  dry,  ere  they  yielded;  lest  thej' 
should  be  mistaken  and  put  the  workings  of  their 
own  imagination  for  the  unfoldings  of  the  Spirit 

pressing  after  the  knowledge  of  "  Christ  in  them,  the  hope  of 
glory ; "  to  feel  his  righteous  government  set  up  in  their  hearts,  and 
the  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit  giving  them  the  victory  over  sin  in 
all  its  motions,  and  qualifying  them  to  serve  God  in  newness  of 
life.  They  saw  that  the  Holy  Scriptures  held  up  to  the  view 
of  Christians  a  state  of  religious  advancement  and  stability,  fai 
beyond  that  which  most  of  the  profess'ors  of  their  day  appeared  to 
aim  at  or  admit ;  a  state  in  which  sin  had  no  more  dominion  over 
them,  because  the  law  of  tlie  Spirit  of  Life  in  Christ  Jesus  had  set 
them  free  from  the  law  of  sin  and  death.  They  believed  that  this 
was  an  inward  work,  not  effected  by  a  bare  assent  of  the  under- 
standing to  the  blessed  truths  contained  in  the  Bible,  hearing 
sermons,  dipping  or  sprinkling  in  water,  partaking  of  bread  and 
wine,  or  any  other  outward  act,  but  a  real  change  of  the  heart  and 
affections  by  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost  inwardly  revealed,  re- 
generating the  soul,  creating  it  anew  in  Christ  Jesus,  and  making 
all  things  pertaining  to  it  of  God. 

Convinced  that  this  great  work  was  necessary  to  salvation,  and 
yet  in  great  danger  of  being  overlooked  amid  a  round  of  cere- 
iionial  performances,  and  a  high  profession  of  belief  in  Christ  as 
the  propitiation  for  sins,  they  zealously  preached  the  doctrine  of 
the  new  birth,  calling  their  hearers  to  come  to  Christ  Jesus,  he 
true  light  which  lighteth  every  man  that  cometh  into  the  world, 
that  tliey  might  be  bom  again  and  experience  Him  to  shine  into 
their  hearts,  to  give  them  "  the  light  of  the  knowledge  of  the  glorv 
of  God  in  the  face  of  Jesus  Girist." 


THE  RELIGIOUS  SOCIETY   OF   FRIENDS.      16 

of  Christ ;  but  as  they  patiently  abovle  under  its 
enlightening  operations,  every  doubt  and  difficulty 
was  removed,  and  they  were  enabled  to  speak', ' 
from  joyful  experience,  of  that  which  they  had 
seen,  and  tasted,  and  handled  of  the  good  "Word 
of  life. 

The  rapid  spread  of  the  doctrines  preached  by 
George  Fox  was  surprising ;  and  among  those  who 
embraced  them  were  persons  esteemed  of  the  best 
families  in  the  kingdom;  several  priests  of  the 
Episcopal  denomination  and  ministers  of  other 
societies;  besides  many  other  learned  and  sub- 
stantial men.  A  large  number  of  ministers,  both 
men  and  women,  were  soon  raised  up  in  the  infant 
society,  who  travelled  abroad,  as  they  believed 
themselves  divinely  called,  spreading  the  knowl- 
edge of  the  truth,  and  strengthening  and  comfort- 
ing the  newly  convinced.*     In  a  few  years  meet- 

*  Of  these  ministers,  William  Penn  says,  "  They  were  changed 
men  themselves,  before  they  went  about  to  change  otliers.  Their 
hearts  were  rent  as  well  as  their  garments,  and  tliey  knew  the 
power  and  work  of  God  upon  them."  "  The  bent  and  stress  of 
their  ministry  was  conversion  to  God,  regeneration  and  holiness ; 
not  schemes  of  doctrines  and  verbal  creeds,  or  new  forms  of  wor- 
ship, but  a  leaving  off  in  religion  the  superfluous  and  reducing  the 
ceremonious  and  formal  part,  and  pressing  earnestly  the  substantial, 
the  necessary  and  profitable  part."  "  First,  repentance  from  dead 
works  to  serve  the  living  God ;  which  comprehends  three  opera- 
tions '—  first,  a  sight  of  sin ;  secondly,  a  sense  and  godly  sorrow  for 
it ;  thirdly,  an  amendment  for  the  time  to  come.  This  was  the  re- 
pentance they  preached  and  pressed,  and  a  natural  result  from  the 
principle  [the  light  and  Spirit  of  tlie  Lord  Jesus  in  the  soul  of 
raa,n]  they  turned  all  people  unto.     For  of  light  came  sight,  suid 


]6  A    CONCISE   ACCOUNT  OF 

ing3  were  settled  in  nearly  all  parts  of  the  Unittd 
Kingdom ;  and,  notwithstanding  tlie  severe  perse- 

of  sight  came  sense  and  sorrow,  and  of  sense  and  sorrow  came  amend- 
ment of  life.  Which  doctrine  of  repentance  leads  to  justification ; 
that  Is,  forgiveness  of  the  sins  that  are  past  through  Christ,  the 
alone  propitiation ;  and  to  the  sanctification  or  purgation  of  the 
soul  from  the  defiling  nature  and  habits  of  sin  present ;  which  is 
justification  in  the  complete  sense  of  that  word ;  comprehending 
both  justification  from  the  guilt  of  the  sins  that  are  past,  as  if  they 
had  never  been  committed,  through  the  love  and  mercy  of  God  in 
Christ  Jesus,  and  the  creature's  being  made  inwardly  just,  through 
the  cleansing  and  sanctifying  power  of  Christ  revealed  in  the  soul, 
which  is  commonly  called  sanctification. 

"  From  hence  sprang  a  second  doctrine  they  were  led  to  declare, 
as  the  mark  of  the  prize  of  the  high  calling  of  all  true  Christians, 
viz.,  perfection  from  sin,  according  to  the  Scriptures  of  Truth, 
which  testify  it  to  be  the  end  of  Christ's  coming,  the  nature  of  his 
kingdom,  and  for  which  his  Spirit  is  given." 

"  Third ;  to  an  acknowledgment  of  eternal  rewards  and  punish- 
ments, as  they  have  good  reason,  for  else  of  all  people  certainly 
they  must  be  the  most  miserable ;  who,  for  about  forty  years,  have 
been  exceeding  great  suflTerers  for  their  profession,  and  in  some 
ca-ses  treated  worse  than  the  worst  of  men,  yea,  as  the  refuse  and 
offscouring  of  all  things." 

Stephen  Crisp,  speaking  of  the  gospel  labours  of  the  early  min- 
isters among  Friends,  says :  "  You  are  witnesses  in  how  great  sim- 
plicity and  plainness  of  speech  we  have  preached  the  word  of  God 
among  you,  from  the  day  the  Lord  sent  us  forth  to  this  day.  We 
came  not  unto  you  with  enticing  words,  we  needed  not  logical  or 
philosoijhical  demonstrations,  for  our  testimony  had  the  demon- 
stration and  evidence  of  the  Spirit  of  Truth  in  your  hearts.  And 
our  words,  or  the  word  of  God  in  our  mouths,  has  not  altered  or 
changed  unto  this  day,  but  remains  the  same  as  it  ever  was.  The 
great  t'loctrine  of  the  gospel  was  and  is,  Regeneration,  without 
whicli  there  is  no  entrance  [into  the  kingdom  of  heaven].  The 
r>nly  means  and  way  to  attain  it,  was  and  is,  that  light  and  grac4 


THE   RELIGIOUS  SOCIETY  OF   FRIENDS.      17 

cution  to  which  the  Society  was  subjected,  by 
which  thousands  were  locked  up  in  jails  and  dun- 
geons, and  deprived  of  nearly  all  their  property, 
besides  being  subjected  to  barbarous  personal 
abuse,  its  members  continued  to  increase,  and 
manifested  a  zeal  and  devotedness  which  excited 
the  admiration  even  of  their  persecutors.  Their 
suiFei'ings  seemed  only  to  animate  them  with  fresh 
ardour,  and  to  unite  them  more  closely  together  in 
the  bond  of  gospel  fellowship.  Instances  occurred 
where  all  the  parents  were  thrown  into  prison,  and 
the  children  continued  to  hold  their  meetings,  un- 
awed  by  the  threats  of  the  officers,  or  the  cruel 
whippings  which  some  of  them  suifered. 

As  early  as  the  ^-ear  1655,  some  ministers 
travelled  on  the  continent  of  Europe,  and  meet- 
ings of  Friends  were  soon  after  settled  in  Holland 
and  other  places ;  some  travelled  into  Asia,  some 
were  carried  to  Africa;  and  several  were  im- 
prisoned in  the  Inquisitions  of  Rome,  Malta,  and 
Hungary.  About  the  same  period  the  first  Friends 
arrived  in  America,  at  the  port  of  Boston,  and 
commenced  their  religioUs  labours  among  the  peo- 
ple, many  of  whom  embraced  the  doctrines  which 
they  heard.  The  spirit  of  persecution,  from  which 
Friends  had  suffered  so  deeply  in  England,  made 
xts  appearance  in  America  with  increased  virulence 

that  comes  by  Jesus  Christ,  and  sanctifies,  ind  purifies,  and  brings 
to  Him,  by  whom  the  entrance  is  ministered  into  the  kingdom. 
These  things  liave  we  declared,  and  tliese  things  ye  have  believed." 
2* 


18  A   CONCISE   ACCOUNT   OF 

and  cruelty,  inflicting  upon  the  peaceable  Quakers 
various  punishments;  and  finally,  four  of  them 
were  put  to  death  by  the  gallows  at  Boston. 

Notwithstanding  the  opposition  they  had  to 
encounter,  the  principles  of  Friends  continued  to 
spread  in  America.  Many  eminent  ministers,  act- 
uated by  the  love  of  the  gospel  and  a  sense  of 
religious  duty,  came  over  from  Great  Britain,  and 
travelled  through  the  country ;  others  removed 
and  settled  in  it ;  and  in  1682  a  large  number, 
under  the  patronage  of  William  Penn,  came  into 
the  Province  of  Pennsylvania  and  founded  that 
flourishing  colony.  At  that  time  meetings  were 
settled  along  the  Atlantic  provinces,  from  North 
Carolina  as  far  as  Boston,  in  New  England ;  and, 
at  the  present  day,  the  largest  body  of  Friends  is 
to  be  found  in  the  United  States. 


DISCIPLINE. 

"When  we  consider  the  great  numbers  who  joined 
the  Society ;  that,  without  any  formal  admission, 
all  those  who  embraced  the  principles  of  Friends 
and  attended  their  meetings  were  considered 
members,  as  well  as  their  children,  and  of  course 
the  character  of  the  Society  was  in  some  measure 
implicated  in  the  consistency  of  their  conduct;  the 
numerous  meetings  which  were  settled,  and  the 
wide  extent  of  country  which  they  embraced  —  it  ia 
obvious  that  the  organization  of  the  Society  would 


THE   BELIGIOUS  SOCIETY  OF   FRIENDS.       19 

have  been  imperfect,  without  some  system  of 
church  government  by  which  the  conduct  of  the 
members  might  be  inspected  and  restrained. 

The  enlightened  and  comprehensive  mind  of 
George  Fox  was  not  long  in  perceiving  the  neces- 
sity for  this ;  and  he  early  began  to  make  arrange- 
ments for  carrying  it  into  practice.  Under  the 
guidance  of  the  light  of  Christ  Jesus,  which  had 
80  clearly  unfolded  to  him  the  doctrines  and  pre- 
cepts of  the  gospel  in  their  true  spiritual  character, 
he  commenced  the  arduous  work  of  establishing 
meetings  for  Discipline ;  and  in  a  few  years  had  the 
satisfaction  to  see  his  labour  and  concern  crowned 
with  success,  both  in  Europe  and  America.  Act- 
uated by  that  Christian  love  which  warmed  his 
heart  towards  the  whole  human  famil}^  but  which 
more  especially  flowed  toward  the  household  of 
faith,  he  was  very  tender  of  the  poor,  and  careful 
to  see  that  their  necessities  were  duly  inspected 
and  supplied.  This  principle  has  ever  since  char- 
acterized the  Society,  which  cheerfully  supports 
its  own  poor,  besides  contributing  its  share  to  the 
public  burdens. 

The  first  objects  to  which  the  attention  of  meet- 
ings for  Discipline  was  directed,  were  the  care  of 
the  poor  and  destitute,  who  had  been  reduced  to 
want  by  persecution  or  by  other  causes ;  the  manner 
of  accomplishing  marriages ;  the  registry  of  birtha 
and  deaths;  the  educating  and  apprenticing  of 
children  ;  the  s:ranting  of  suitable  certificates  of 


20  A  CONCISE   ACCOUNT  OF 

unity  and  approbation  for  ministers  who  travelled 
abroad,  and  the  preservation  of  an  account  of  the 
suiierings  sustained  by  Friends  in  the  support  of 
their  religious  principles  and  testimonies. 

It  also  became  necessary  to  establish  regulations 
for  preserving  the  members  in  a  line  of  conduct 
consistent  with  their  profession.  In  this  imper- 
fect state  of  being,  we  are  instructed  from  the 
highest  authority,  that  offences  must  needs  come ; 
but  it  does  not  necessarily  follow,  either  that  the 
offender  must  be  cut  off  from  the  church,  or  that 
the  reproach  of  his  misconduct  should  be  visited 
upon  the  society  to  which  he  belongs.  If,  in  pur- 
suance of  those  Christian  means  laid  down  in  the 
New  Testament,  he  is  brought  to  acknowledge 
and  sincerely  condemn  his  error,  a  brother  is 
gained ;  the  church  is  freed  from  reproach  by  his 
repentance  and  amendment  of  life ;  and  thus  the 
highest  aim  of  all  disciplinary  regulations  is  at- 
tained. Where  these  effects,  however,  do  not  re- 
sult from  the  Christian  care  of  the  church,  it 
becomes  its  duty  to  testify  against  the  disorderly 
conduct  of  the  offender,  and  to  declare  that  he  has 
separated  himself  from  its  fellowship,  and  is  no 
longer  a  member  thereof.  The  \aews  of  George 
Fox  on  this  subject  were  marked  by  that  simpli- 
city and  scriptural  soundness  which  distinguished 
his  whole  character. 

He  considered  the  church  as  a  harmonious  and 
compact  body,  made  up  of  living  members,  having 


y^ 


THE    RELIGIOUS   SOCIETY   OP   FRIENDS.       21 

gifts  differing  according  to  tlie  measure  of  grace 
received,  yet  all  dependent  one  upon  another,  and 
each,  even  tlie  weakest  and  lowest,  having  liia 
proper  place  and  service.  As  the  very  design  of 
religious  society  is  the  preservation,  comfort,  and 
edification  of  the  members,  and  as  all  have  a  com- 
mon interest  in  the  promotion  of  these  great  ends, 
he  considered  every  faithful  member  religiously 
bound  to  contribute,  according  to  his  capacity, 
toward  their  attainment.  The  words  of  our  Lord 
furnish  a  short  but  comprehensive  description  of 
the  order  instituted  by  him  for  the  government 
of  his  church :  "If  thy  brother  shall  trespass 
against  thee,  go  and  tell  him  his  fault  between 
thee  and  him  alone.  If  he  shall  hear  thee,  thou 
hast  gained  thy  brother.  But  if  he  will  not  hear 
thee,  then  take  with  thee  one  or  two  more,  that  in 
the  mouth  of  two  or  three  witnesses  every  word 
may  be  established.  And  if  he  shall  neglect  to 
hear  them,  tell  it  to  the  church ;  but  if  he  neglect 
to  hear  the  church,  let  him  be  to  thee  as  a  heathen 
man  and  a  publican." 

Here  is  no  limitation  of  this  Christian  care  toT 
ministers  or  any  other  class;  but  any  brother,  who 
sees  another  offending,  should,  under  a  proper 
qualification,  admonish  him  in  love  for  his  good. 
The  language  of  our  blessed  Saviour  respecting 
the  authority  of  his  church,  and  his  being  in  the 
midst  of  it  in  the  performance  of  its  duties,  is  very 
clear  and  comprehensive :  "Verily  I  say  unto  you, 


22  A   CONCISE   ACCOUNT  OF 

whatsoever  ye  shall  bind  on  earth,  shall  be  bound 
in  heaven;  and  whatsoever  ye  shall  loose  on  earth 
shall  be  loosed  in  heaven.  Again  I  say  unto  you, 
that  if  two  of  you  shall  agree  on  earth,  as  touch- 
ing anything  that  they  shall  ask,  it  shall  be  done 
for  them  of  my  Father  which  is  in  heaven.  For 
where  two  or  three  are  gathered  together  in  my 
name,  there  am  I  in  the  midst  of  them." 

This  doctrine  of  the  immediate  presence  of 
Christ  with  his  church,  whether  assembled  for  the 
purpose  of  Divine  worship,  or  for  the  transaction 
of  its  disciplinary  affairs,  is  the  foundation  of  all 
its  authority.  It  was  on  this  ground  that  George 
Fox  so  often  exhorted  his  fellow-believers  to  hold 
their  meetings  in  the  power  of  the  Lord;  all  wait- 
ing and  striving  to  know  Christ  Jesus  brought  into 
dominion  in  their  own  hearts,  and  his  Spirit  lead- 
ing and  guiding  them  in  their  services,  that  so  his 
living  presence  might  be  felt  to  preside  over  their 
assemblies.  In  a  church  thus  gathered,  we  cannot 
doubt  that  the  gracious  Head  condescends  to  be 
in  the  midst,  qualifying  the  members  to  worship 
the  Father  of  spirits  in  spirit  and  in  truth,  or 
enduing  them  with  wisdom  rightly  to  manage 
the  business  which  may  engage  their  attention. 
Nor  can  we  question,  that  so  far  as  they  are  care- 
ful to  act  in  his  wisdom  and  under  his  direction, 
their  conclusions,  being  in  conformity  with  his 
will,  have  his  authority  for  their  sanction  and 
support 


THE   RELIGIOUS  SOCIETY   OF   FRIENDS.      23 

The  Discipline  of  the  Society  of  Friends,  estab- 
lished in  conformity  with  these  views,  embraces 
four  grades  of  meetings,  connected  with  and  de- 
pendent upon  each  other.  First,  the  Preparative 
Meetings  receive  and  prepare  the  business  for  the 
Monthly  Meetings,  which  are  composed  of  one  or 
more  Preparative  Meetings,  and  rank  next  in  order 
above  them.  In  the  Monthly  Meetings  the  execu- 
tive department  of  the  Discipline  is  chiefly  lodged. 
The  third  grade  includes  Quarterly  Meetings, 
which  consist  of  several  Monthly  Meetings,  and 
exercise  a  supervisory  care  over  them,  examine 
into  their  condition,  and  advise  or  assist  them  as 
occasion  may  require ;  —  and  lastly,  the  Yearly 
Meeting,  which  includes  the  whole  within  a  given 
district,  possesses  exclusively  the  legislative  power, 
and  annually  investigates  the  state  of  the  whole 
body,  which  is  brought  before  it  by  answers  to 
Queries,  addressed  to  the  subordinate  meetings.* 

In  order  that  the  Yearly  Meeting  and  its  branches 

*  No  one  is  appointed  president  in  any  of  the  meetings  for  Dis- 
cipline of  the  Society ;  as  Friends  believe  that  Christ  Jesus  alone 
ought  to  preside,  and  his  spirit  and  wisdom  only  to  govern,  in  all 
such  assemblies,  and  that  no  member  ought  to  claim  pre-eminence 
over  the  rest ;  though  deference  is  to  be  paid  to  age  and  religious 
experience.  The  person  appointed  as  clerk,  is  to  gather  and  re- 
cord the  solid  sense  and  judgment  of  Truth  as  manifested  in  the 
meeting ;  but  no  vote  is  ever  taken,  nor  is  any  question  decided  by 
numbers.  No  person  receives  any  stipend  or  gratuity  for  the  ser- 
vices performed,  except  where  voluminous  documents  are  to  be  re- 
corded ;  for  doing  which,  a  small  pecuniary  compensation  is  some- 
times made. 


24  A   CONCISE   ACCOUNT  OF 

may  be  properly  represented  during  its  recess,  and 
on  emergent  occasions,  a  meeting  is  held  called 
the  Meeting  for  Sufferings,  consisting  of  a  certain 
number  of  Friends  chosen  by  the  Yearly  Meeting, 
and  others  appointed  by  each  Quarterly  Meeting, 
any  twelve  of  whom  constitute  a  body  capable  of 
transacting  business.  Its  principal  duties  are ;  to 
appear  on  behalf  of  the  Yearly  Meeting,  in  all 
cases  where  the  cause  of  Truth,  or  the  interests  or 
reputation  of  the  Society  may  render  it  needful ; 
to  take  the  oversight  and  inspection  of  writings 
proposed  to  be  printed,  relative  to  the  religious 
principles  and  testimonies  of  the  Society,  and  to 
approve  or  suppress  them ;  to  inspect  and  explain 
titles  to  land  or  other  estate,  and  charitable  lega- 
cies and  donations,  and  give  advice  respecting 
them,  and  to  extend  assistance  to  such  members 
as  may  be  brought  under  suffering  for  the  support 
of  the  testimonies  of  Friends. 

In  each  Preparative  Meeting  there  are  usually 
two  or  more  Friends  of  each  sex  appointed  as 
Overseers  of  the  flock,  whose  especial  duty  it  is  to 
take  cognizance  of  any  improper  conduct  in  the 
members,  and  endeavour  by  tender  and  affectionate 
labour  to  convince  the  offender,  and  bring  him  to 
such  a  sense  of  his  fault  as  may  lead  to  sincere  re- 
pentance and  amendment.  Violations  of  the  Dis- 
cipline by  members  are  reported  by  the  Overseers 
to  the  Preparative  Meeting ;  and  from  thence,  if 
deemed  necessary,  to  the  Monthly  Meeting,  where 


THE    RELIGIOUS   SOCIETY   OF    FRIENDS.       25 

a  Committee  is  usually  appointed  to  endeavour  to 
convince  and  reclaim  the  delinquent;  and  if  this 
desirable  result  is  not  produced,  a  minute  is  made 
declaring  the  disunity  of  the  meeting  with  his 
conduct,  and  with  him  until  he  is  brought  to  a 
sense  of  his  error,  and  condemns  it  in  a  satisfactory 
manner. 

From  the  decision  of  a  Monthly  Meeting,  the 
disowned  person  has  the  right  of  appeal  to  the 
Quarterly  Meeting,  and  if  that  gives  a  judgment 
against  him,  he  may  carry  his  case  to  the  Yearly 
Meeting  also,  where  it  is  finally  determined.  The 
women  also  have  Overseers,  appointed  to  extend 
Christian  care  and  advice  to  their  own  sex;  and 
likewise  Preparative,  Monthh^,  Quarterly,  and 
Yearly  Meetings,  in  which  they  transact  such  busi- 
ness as  relates  to  the  good  order  and  preservation 
of  their  members ;  but  they  take  no  part  in  the 
legislative  proceedings  of  the  Society;  and  in 
ditiicult  cases,  or  those  of  more  than  ordinary  im- 
portance, they  generally  obtain  the  judgment  of 
the  men's  meeting. 

Monthly  Meetings  also  grant  to  such  of  their 
members  as  remove  within  the  limits  of  other 
meetii]gs,  certificates  of  membership,  to  transfer 
their  rights  to  the  Monthly  Meeting  removed  into. 

Persons  desiring  to  be  received  into  the  Society, 
make  application  to  the  Overseers ;  and  if  after 
deliberate  consideration  they  are  satisfied,  the  case 
is  introduced  by  them  to  the  Preparative  Meeting; 


26  A.   CONCISE   ACCOUNT   OF 

where  a  couple  of  Friends  are  usually  appointed  to 
have  an  interview  with  the  applicant,  and  to  report 
on  the  propriety  of  carrying  the  requests  to  the 
Monthly  Meeting.  When  brought  there,  a  Com- 
mittee is  appointed  to  visit  the  party  and  solidly 
consider  his  or  her  fitness  for  membership.  If 
after  hearing  the  report  of  this  Committee,  the 
Monthly  Meeting  is  satisfied  that  the  party  is  sin- 
cerely convinced  of  the  truth  of  the  principles  of 
the  Society,  and  is  of  suitable  conduct  and  conver- 
sation, the  request  is  granted. 

To  Monthly  Meetings  also  belong  the  allowance 
and  oversight  of  the  marriages  of  members.  The 
Society  believes  that  marriage  is  a  divine  ordi- 
nance, and  that  none  but  the  Lord  alone  can 
rightly  join  any  in  this  solemn  covenant.  It  has 
therefore  always  had  a  conscientious  scruple  against 
acknowledging  the  authority  of  priests,  ministers, 
or  magistrates,  in  the  solemnization  of  marriage. 
Those  who  intend  to  marry,  appear  together  and 
propose  their  intention  to  a  Monthly  Meeting,  and 
if  not  attended  by  their  parents  or  guardians,  pro- 
duce their  consent,  if  living,  in  writing.  The 
meeting  then  appoints  a  Committee  to  inquire 
whether  they  are  clear  of  other  marriage  engage- 
ments, and  if  at  the  next  meeting  no  objection  is 
reported,  the  parties  have  the  meeting's  consent  to 
accomplish  the  marriage.  This  is  done  in  a  pub- 
lic meeting  for  worship,  where  the  parties  stand 
up  and  solemnly  take  each  other  for  husband  and 


THE  RELIGIOUS  SOCIETY  OF   FRIENDS.      27 

wife.  A  certificate  of  the  proceedings  is  then  pub- 
licly read  and  signed  by  the  parties,  and  afterward 
by  the  relatives  and  others  as  witnesses.  Of  such 
marriages  the  Monthly  Meeting  keeps  a  record,  as 
also  of  the  births  and  burials  of  its  members. 

Burials  are  conducted  in  a  simple  and  unosten- 
tatious manner.  After  a  time  of  quiet  retirement 
at  the  house,  the  body,  followed  by  the  relatives 
and  friends,  is  carried  to  the  place  of  interment, 
where  a  solemn  pause  is  made  before  and  after  de- 
positing it  in  the  grave,  and  sometimes  ministers 
of  the  Society  who  may  be  present  are  engaged 
to  address  the  company  for  their  edification,  but 
no  religious  rite  is  considered  necessary. 

The  Society  has  long  borne  a  testimony  against 
afiixing  monuments  of  wood  or  stone  to  the  graves 
of  deceased  persons,  and  also  against  wearing 
mourning  habits,  believing  that  these  practices  are 
inconsistent  with  Christian  simplicity,  occasion  a 
needless  expense,  which  may  be  oppressive  to  the 
poor,  and  tend  to  foster  a  spirit  of  pride.  It  also 
recommends  its  members  to  avoid  all  unnecessary 
expense  and  show  in  the  interment  of  the  dead. 

The  following  advice  on  these  subjects  was 
issued  by  the  Yearly  Meeting  in  1854,  viz. : 

"  This  meeting  has  been  brought  under  much 
concern  in  consequence  of  the  increased  expen- 
siveness  and  show,  which  are  gradually  obtaining 
a  place  among  Friends  at  the  time  of  burials.  It 
is  painful  to  observe,  in  some  instances,  the  costli. 


28  A   CONCISE  ACCOUNT  OF 

ness  of  the  materials,  and  the  unsuitableness  of  thfl 
attire,  in  which  the  hfeless  body  is  arrayed,  as  if 
to  make  it  a  spectacle  for  beholders,  and  to  gratify 
the  pride  of  the  living ;  the  needless  expense  in 
making  and  lining  the  coffin;  the  unnecessarily 
long  train  of  carriages  which  follow  it  to  the  place 
of  interment ;  and  sometimes  the  large  entertain- 
ment afterward ;  as  though  it  was  intended  to  make 
the  occasion  one  of  vain  show,  instead  of  a  solemn 
opportunity,  the  effect  of  which  should  be  to  hum- 
ble us,  under  a  sense  of  our  own  mortality,  and  to 
subdue  every  disposition  which  could  be  gratified 
by  display.  We  believe  these  things  are  not  only 
unbecoming  so  serious  an  occasion,  but  inconsistent 
with  that  Christian  simplicity  and  moderation  to 
which  we  are  called ;  and  we  would  affectionately 
caution  our  members  against  them. 

"  It  has  also  been  cause  of  concern,  to  observe 
that  some  of  our  members,  not  duly  regarding  the 
ancient  and  approved  practice  of  our  Society,  have 
procured  places  of  interment  which  are  not  under 
the  control  of  Friends,  and  where  customs  are 
sanctioned  which  are  at  variance  with  our  well- 
known  testimonies.  We  apprehend  this  is  open- 
ing a  door  to  weakness,  and  preparing  the  way  for 
departures  from  those  salutary  restraints,  which, 
in  the  wisdom  of  Truth,  have  been  placed  around 
our  members,  and  which  have  so  evidently  tended 
to  preserve  them  in  a  conformity  to  our  religious 
principles   and   practices.      We   would   therefore 


THE  RELIGIOUS  SOCIETY  OF   FRIENDS.      29 

tenderly  entreat  Friends  to  avoid  the  entangling 
effects  consequent  on  sucli  a  course,  and  be  willing 
to  conform  to  the  regulations  of  Society  in  this 
respect. 

"  The  introduction  of  monuments  of  wood  or 
stone  into  our  graveyards  has,  at  this  time,  claimed 
renewed  attention,  and,  agreeably  to  former  recom- 
mendations, we  are  again  engaged  to  discourage 
the  practice,  and  request  meetings  to  carry  into 
effect,  in  the  spirit  of  Christian  love,  and  as  far  as 
they  have  control  of  the  burying-grounds,  the  ad- 
vice heretofore  given  on  this  subject,  as  contained 
in  the  Discipline.  We  trust,  also,  that  all  our  dear 
Friends  will  receive  the  word  of  tender  admoni- 
tion, and  refrain  from  everything  which  is  contrary 
to  our  ancient  testimony  on  this  subject." 

The  Society  of  Friends  esteems  it  a  Christian 
duty,  to  see  that  all  its  poor  members,  who  are  un- 
able to  maintain  themselves,  are  properly  provided 
for.  ^one  is  ever  permitted  to  become  chargeable 
to  the  public.  In  each  Monthly  Meeting,  a  Com- 
mittee of  men  and  women  Friends  is  appointed, 
whose  special  business  it  is  to  inspect  into  the 
necessities  of  the  poor,  and  give  such  relief  as 
may  be  proper  out  of  the  funds  of  the  meeting ; 
taking  care,  however,  that  they  do  not  encourage 
in  any  an  idle  or  improvident  disposition,  or  an 
improper  dependence  on  the  aid  of  others  with- 
out sufficiently  exerting  themselves  to  procure  a 
livelihood.     To  meet  these  and  other  expenses,  the 

3* 


30  A   CONCISE   ACCOUNT  OF 

members  are  encouraged  to  make  voluntary  con 
tributions  to  tbe  stock  of  the  meeting,  "  not  grudg 
ingly  or  of  necessity,  but  as  cheerful  givers." 

The  subject  of  affording  the  means  of  a  good 
literary  and  religious  education  to  the  children  of 
all  its  members,  has,  from  the  earliest  rise  of  the 
Society,  engaged  its  earnest  attention. 

Monthly  Meetings  are  enjoined  to  see  that  the 
children  of  poor  Friends  are  schooled  without 
cost  to  their  parents ;  and  they  are  encouraged  to 
promote  the  establishment  within  their  borders  of 
good  seminaries  of  learning,  taught  by  members 
of  the  Society,  where  the  moral  and  religious 
training  of  the  pupils,  as  well  as  their  literary  in- 
struction, may  be  attended  to,  and  to  which  the 
children  of  all  their  members  may  have  free  access. 
Monthly  Meetings  are  required  annually  to  answer 
queries,  asking  whether  they  are  careful  in  these 
respects. 

There  are  distinct  meetings  for  the  care  and  help 
of  the  ministry,  composed  of  Ministers  and  Elders; 
the  latter  being  prudent  and  solid  members,  chosen 
specially  to  watch  over  the  ministers  for  their  good, 
and  to  admonish  or  advise  them  for  their  help.  In 
these  meetings  the  men  and  women  meet  together; 
they  are  called  Meetings  of  Ministers  and  Elders, 
and  are  divided  into  Preparative,  Quarterly,  and 
Yearly.  The  Preparative  Meetings  send  to  the 
Quarterly  Meetings  of  Ministers  and  Elders  an- 
swers to  queries  relative  to  their  state  and  the  con- 


THE   RELIGIOUS   SOCIETY    OF   FRIENDS.       31 

d.i?''t  of  the  members,  and  the  Quarterly  likewise 
answer  them  to  the  Yearly  Meeting  of  Ministers 
and  Elders ;  but  none  of  these  meetings  have  any 
power  to  change  the  discipline,  nor  do  they  inter- 
fere with  the  business  of  any  meeting  for  discip- 
line. Ministers  and  Elders,  in  common  with  other 
members,  take  part  in  the  proceedings  of  m.eet- 
ings  for  discipline,  and  are  equally  accountable  with 
others  for  any  violation  of  the  rules  of  the  Society.* 

*  In  the  year  1827,  a  portion  of  tlie  members  in  some  of  tlie 
American  Yearly  Meetings  seceded  from  the  Society,  and  set  up 
a  distinct  and  indej)endeiit  association,  but  still  holding  to  the 
name  of  Friends.  The  document  issued  by  the  first  meeting  they 
held,  bearing  date  on  the  21st  of  4th  month,  1827,  and  stating  the 
causes  of  their  secession,  says,  "  Doctrines  held  by  one  part  of 
the  Society,  which  we  believe  to  be  sound  and  edifying,  are  pro- 
nounced by  the  other  part  to  be  unsound  and  spurious."  The  doc- 
trines here  alluded  to  were  certain  opinions  promulgated  by  Elias 
Hicks,  denying  or  invalidating  the  miraculous  conception,  divinity, 
and  atonement  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  also  the  authenticit" 
and  divine  authority  of  the  Holy  Scriptures, 


32  A    CONCISE  ACCOUNT    OP 


DOCTRINES. 

Tlie  doctrines  of  the  Society  may  be  brie^) 
stated  as  follows : 

OF  THE  HOLY  THREE  THAT  BEAR  RECORD  IN  HEAVEN. 

Friends  believe  in  one  only  Avisc,  omnipotent, 
and  everlasting  God,  the  creator  and  upholder  of 
all  things,  visible  and  invisible ;  and  in  one  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  by  whom  are  all  things,  the  Mediator 
between  God  and  man;  and  in  the  Holy  Spirit 
which  proceedeth  from  the  Father  and  the  Son ; 
one  God  blessed  forever.  In  expressing  their 
views  relative  to  the  awful  and  mysterious  doctrine 
of  "  The  Three  that  bear  record  in  heaven,"  they 
have  carefully  avoided  the  use  of  unscriptural 
terms,  invented  to  define  Him  who  is  undefinable, 
and  have  scrupulously  adhered  to  the  safe  and 
simple  language  of  Holy  Scripture,  as  contained  in 
Matt,  xxviii.  18,  19;  1  John  v.  7.* 

*  See  Appendix  A. 


THE   RELIGIOUS   SOCIETY   OF    FRIENDS.       33 

CONCERlsriNG    OUR   LORD   JESUS    CHRIST. 

They  own  and  believe  in  Christ  Jesus,  the  be- 
loved and  only-begotten  Son  of  God,  who  was  con- 
ceived of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  born  of  the  Virgin 
Mary.  In  him  we  have  redemption,  through  his 
blood,  even  the  forgiveness  of  sins ;  who  is  the  ex- 
press image  of  the  invisible  God,  the  first-born  of 
every  creature,  by  whom  all  things  M^ere  created 
that  are  in  heaven  or  in  earth,  visible  and  invisible, 
whether  they  be  thrones,  dominions,  principalities, 
or  powers. 

They  also  believe  that  He  was  made  a  sacrifice 
for  sin,  who  knew  no  sin,  neither  was  guile  found 
in  his  mouth ;  that  He  was  crucified  for  mankind, 
in  the  flesh,  without  the  gates  of  Jerusalem ;  that 
He  was  buried,  and  rose  again  the  third  day,  by 
the  power  of  the  Father,  for  our  justification;  and 
that  He  ascended  up  into  heaven,  and  now  sitteth 
at  the  right  hand  of  God,  our  holy  Mediator,  Ad- 
vocate, and  Intercessor.  They  believe  that  He 
alone  is  the  Redeemer  and  Saviour  of  man,  the 
Captain  of  Salvation,  who  saves  from  sin  as  well 
as  from  hell  and  the  wrath  to  come,  and  destroys 
the  works  of  the  devil.  He  is  the  Seed  of  the 
woman  that  bruises  the  serpent's  head,  even  Christ 
Jesus,  the  Alpha  and  Omega,  the  first  and  the  last. 
He  is,  as  the  scriptures  of  truth  say  of  him,  our 
wisdom,  righteousness,  justification,  and  redemp- 
tion; neither  is  there  salvation  in  any  other,  for 


34  A  CONCISE   ACCOUNT  OF 

there  is  no  other  name  under  heaven  given  among 
men  whereby  we  may  be  saved. 

The  Society  of  Friends  has  uniformly  declared 
their  belief  in  the  divinity  and  manhood  of  the 
Lord  Jesus :  that  He  was  both  true  God  and  per- 
fect man ;  and  that  his  sacrifice  of  himself  upon 
the  cross  was  a  propitiation  and  atonement  for  the 
sins  of  the  whole  world ;  and  that  the  remission  of 
sins  which  any  partake  of,  is  only  in,  and  by  virtue 
of,  that  most  satisfactory  sacrifice,  and  no  other- 
wise. * 

OF   THE    HOLY   SPIRIT. 

Friends  believe  also  in  the  Holy  Spirit,  or  Com- 
forter, the  promise  of  the  Father,  whom  Christ  de- 
clared He  would  send  in  his  name,  to  lead  and 
guide  his  followers  into  all  truth,  to  teach  them 
all  things,  and  to  bring  all  things  to  their  remem- 
brance. A  manifestation  of  this  Spirit  they  believe 
is  given  to  every  man  to  profit  withal ;  that  it  con- 
victs for  sin,  and,  as  obeyed,  gives  power  to  the 
soul  to  overcome  and  forsake  it.  It  opens  to  the 
mind  the  mysteries  of  salvation,  enables  it  savingly 
to  understand  the  truths  recorded  in  the  Holy 
Scriptures,  and  gives  it  the  living,  j)ractical,  and 
heartfelt  experience  of  those  things  which  pertain 
to  its  everlasting  welfare.  They  believe  that  the 
saving  knowledge  of  God  and  Christ  cannot  be 
attained  in  any  other  way  than  by  the  revelation 

*  See  Appendix  B. 


THE   RELIGIOUS  SOCIETY  OF   FRIENDS.      35 

of  this  Spirit ;  —  for  the  apostle  says,  "  What  man 
knoweth  the  things  of  a  man,  save  the  spirit  of 
man  which  is  in  him  ?  Even  so  the  things  of  God 
knoweth  no  man,  but  the  Spirit  of  God.  ISTow  we 
have  received  not  the  spirit  of  the  world,  but  the 
Spirit  which  is  of  God,  that  we  might  know  the 
things  which  are  freely  given  us  of  God."  If 
therefore  the  things  which  properly  appertain  to 
man  cannot  be  discerned  by  any  lower  principle 
than  the  spirit  of  man,  those  things  which  pro- 
perly relate  to  God  and  Christ,  cannot  be  known 
by  any  power  inferior  to  that  of  the  Holy  Spirit* 

OF    THE    HOLY    SCRIPTURES. 

The  religious  Society  of  Friends  has  always  be- 
lieved that  the  Holy  Scriptures  were  written  by 
divine  inspiration,  and  contain  a  declaration  of  all 
the  fundamental  doctrines  and  principles  relating 
to  eternal  life  and  salvation ;  and  that  whatsoever 
doctrine  or  practice  is  contrary  to  them,  is  to  be 
rejected  as  false  and  erroneous;  that  they  are  a 
declaration  of  the  mind  and  will  of  God,  in  and 
to  the  several  ages  in  which  they  were  written, 
and  are  obligatory  on  us,  and  are  to  be  read, 
believed,  and  fulfilled  by  the  assistance  of  divine 
grace.  Though  it  does  not  call  them  "  the  Word 
of  God,"  believing  that  epithet  peculiarly  applica- 
ble to  the  Lord  Jesus ;  yet  it  believes  them  to  be 


*  See  Appendix  C. 


36  A    CONCISE   ACCOUNT   OF 

the  words  of  God,  written  by  holy  men  as  they 
were  moved  by  the  Holy  Ghost ;  that  they  were 
written  for  our  learning,  that  we,  through  patience 
and  comfort  of  the  Scriptures,  might  have  hope ; 
and  that  they  are  able  to  make  wise  unto  salvation, 
through  faith  which  is  in  Christ  Jesus.  It  looks 
upon  them  as  the  only  fit  outward  judge  and  test 
of  controversies  ainong  Christians,  and  is  very 
willing  that  all  its  doctrines  and  practices  should 
be  tried  by  them,  freely  admitting  that  whatso- 
ever any  do,  pretending  to  the  Spirit,  which  is  con- 
trary to  the  Scriptures,  be  condemned  as  a  delu- 
sion of  the  devil.* 

OF    THE    FALL    OF    MAN. 

They  believe  that  man  was  created  in  the  image 
of  God,  capable  of  understanding  the  divine  law, 
and  of  holding  communion  with  his  Maker. 
Through  transgression  he  fell  from  this  blessed 
state,  and  lost  the  heavenly  image.  His  posterity 
come  into  the  world  in  the  image  of  the  earthly 
man ;  and,  until  renewed  by  the  quickening  and 
regenerating  power  of  the  heavenly  man,  Christ 
Jesus,  manifested  in  the  soul,  they  are  fallen,  de- 
generated, and  dead  to  the  divine  life  in  which 
Adam  originally  stood,  and  are  subject  to  the 
power,  nature,  and  seed  of  the  serpent;  and  not 
only  their  words  and  deeds,  but  their  imaginations, 

*  See  Appendix  D, 


THE   RELIGIOUS  SOCIETY  OF   FRIENDS.      37 

are  evil  perpetually  in  the  sight  of  God.  Man, 
therefore,  in  this  state  can  know  nothing  aright 
concerning  God.  His  thoughts  and  conceptions 
of  spiritual  things,  until  he  is  disjoined  from  thi? 
evil  seed,  and  united  to  the  divine  light,  Christ 
Jesus,  are  unprofitahle  to  himself  and  to  others. 

But  while  it  entertains  these  views  of  the  lost 
and  undone  condition  of  man  in  the  fall,  the 
Society  does  not  believe  that  mankind  are  punish- 
able for  Adam's  sin,  *or  that  we  partake  of  his 
guilt,  until  we  make  it  our  own  by  transgression 
of  the  divine  law. 

For  however  early  children  give  evidence  of 
the  effects  of  the  fall,  and  of  a  sinful  nature,  they 
cannot  be  sinners  from  their  birth,  because  there 
can  be  no  sin  where  there  is  no  transgression ;  and 
where  there  is  not  a  capacity  to  receive  a  law,  it 
cannot  be  transgressed.  The  testimony  of  the 
apostle  is  very  positive  to  this  point;  "  Where  no 
law  is,  there  is  no  transgression;"  "but  sin  is  not 
imputed  where  there  is  no  law."  To  account  a 
child  guilty  or  obnoxious  to  punishment,  merely 
for  an  offence  committed  by  its  parents,  before  it 
could  have  any  consciousness  of  being,  is  incon- 
sistent both  with  justice  and  mercy;  therefore  no 
infant  can  be  born  with  guilt  upon  its  head. 
Those  are  by  nature  children  of  wrath  who  walk 
according  to  the  prince  of  the  power  of  the  air, 
the  spirit  that  worketh  in  the  hearts  of  the  chil- 
dren of  disobedience.     Here  the  apostle  gives  their 


38  A   CONCISE   ACCOUNT  OP 

evil  walk  ng,  and  not  anything  which  is  not  re- 
duced to  act,  as  a  reason  of  their  being  children 
of  wrath.  Besides  the  natural  alienation  from  the 
internal  life  of  God,  as  they  become  capable  of 
d'^tinguishing  the  monitions  of  Truth  in  their 
consciences,  the  bonds  of  corruption  are  often 
strengthened  by  habitual  indulgence  of  the  carnal 
propensities  against  the  sense  of  duty,  and  thus 
all  who  have  arrived  at  such  a  degree  of  maturity 
as  to  be  convinced  of  right-and  wrong,  have  sinned 
and  come  short  of  the  glory  of  God. 

But  whatever  Adam's  posterity  lost  through  him, 
is  fully  made  up  to  them  in  Christ;  and  undoubtedly 
his  mercy  and  goodness,  and  the  extent  of  his  pro- 
pitiation, are  as  applicable  to  infants  who  have 
not  personally  offended,  as  to  adults  who  have ; 
and  little  children  who  are  taken  away  before  they 
have  sinned,  may  with  perfect  confidence  be  re- 
signed as  entirely  safe  in  the  arms  of  their 
Saviour,  who  declared  "of  such  is  the  kingdom 
of  heaven."  * 

OF  THE  RESTORATION  OF  MAN,  IN  AND  THROUGH  OUR 
LORD  JESUS  CHRIST,  AND  JUSTIFICATION  BY  HIS 
PROPITIATORY  SACRIFICE. 

God,  who  out  of  his  infinite  love  sent  his  Son, 
the   Lord  Jesus  Christ,  into  the  world  to  taste 


*  See  Barclay's  Apology  an/  ^ipps'  Original  and  Present  State 
of  Man. 


THE   RELIGIOUS  SOCIETY   OF   FRIEXDS.      39 

death  for  every  man,  hath  granted  to  all  men,  of 
whatever  nation  or  country,  a  day  or  time  of  visi- 
tation, during  which  it  is  possible  for  them  to  par- 
take of  the  benefits  of  Christ's  death,  and  be  saved. 
For  this  end  He  hath  communicated  to  every  man 
a  measure  of  the  light  of  his  own  Son,  a  measure 
of  grace  or  the  Holy  Spirit,  by  which  He  invites, 
calls,  exhorts,  and  strives  with  every  man,  in  order 
to  sa'^^e  him ;  which  light  or  grace,  as  it  is  received 
and  not  resisted,  works  the  salvation  of  all,  even 
of  those  who  are  ignorant  of  Adam's  fall,  and  of 
the  death  and  sufferings  of  Christ ;  both  by  bring- 
ing them  to  a  sense  of  their  own  misery,  and  to 
be  sharers  in  the  sufferings  of  Christ,  inwardly; 
and  by  making  them  partakers  of  his  resurrection, 
in  becoming  holy,  pure,  and  righteous,  and  re- 
covered out  of  their  sins.  By  which  also  those  are 
saved  that  have  the  knowledge  of  Christ  outwardly, 
in  that  it  opens  their  understandings  rightly  to  use 
and  apply  the  things  delivered  in  the  Scriptures,  and 
to  receive  the  saving  use  of  them.  But  this  Holy 
Spirit,  or  light  of  Christ,  may  be  resisted  and  re- 
jected; in  which,  then,  God  is  said  to  be  resisted 
and  pressed  down,  and  Christ  to  be  again  crucified 
and  jjut  to  open  shame ;  and  to  those  who  thus  re- 
sist and  refuse  him.  He  becomes  their  condemna- 
tion. 

As  many  as  resist  not  the  light,  or  Holy  Spirit 
of  Christ  Jesus,  but  receive  and  walk  therein,  it 
becomes  in  them  a  holy,  pure,  and  spiritual  birth, 


40  A   CONCISE  ACCOUNT  OF 

bringing  forth  holiness,  righteousness,  and  puritv, 
and  all  those  other  blessed  fruits  which  are  accept 
able  to  God ;  by  which  holy  birth,  viz.,  Jesus  Christ 
formed  within  us,  and  working  his  works  in  us,  as 
we  are  sanctified,  so  we  are  justified  in  the  sight 
of  God ;  according  to  the  apostle's  words :  "  But 
ye  are  washed,  but  ye  are  sanctified,  but  ye  are 
justified,  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  by 
the  Spirit  of  our  God."  Therefore,  it  is  not  by 
our  works,  wrought  in  our  will,  nor  yet  by  good 
works  considered  as  of  themselves,  that  we  are 
justified,  but  by  Christ,  who  is  both  the  gift  and 
the  giver,  and  the  cause  producing  the  eftect  in  us. 
As  He  hath  reconciled  us  while  we  were  enemies, 
80  doth  He  also  in  his  wisdom,  save  and  justify  us 
after  this  manner;  as  saith  the  same  apostle  else- 
where :  "  Not  by  works  of  righteousness  which  we 
have  done,  but  according  to  his  mercy  He  saved 
us,  by  the  washing  of  regeneration  and  renewing 
of  the  Holy  Ghost ;  which  He  shed  on  us  abund- 
antly through  Jesus  Christ,  our  Saviour,  that, 
being  justified  by  his  grace,  we  should  be  made 
heirs  according  to  the  hope  of  eternal  life." 

We  renounce  all  natural  power  and  ability  in 
ourselves,  to  bring  us  out  of  our  lost  and  fallen 
condition  and  first  nature,  and  confess  that  as  of 
ourselves  we  are  able  to  do  nothing  that  is  good, 
80  neither  can  we  procure  remission  of  sins  or 
justification  b}^  any  act  of  our  own,  so  as  to  merit 
it,  or  to  draw  it  as  a  debt  from  God  due  to  us;  but 


THE  RELIGIOUS  SOCIETY  OF   FRIENDS.      41 

we  acknowledge  all  to  be  of  and  from  his  love, 
which  is  the  original  and  fundamental  cause  of  our 
acceptance.  God  manifested  his  love  toward  us 
iu  the  sending  of  his  beloved  Son,  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  into  the  world,  who  gave  himself  an  offer- 
ing for  us  and  a  sacrifice  to  God,  for  a  sweet  smell- 
ing savour ;  and  having  made  peace  through  the 
blood  of  the  cross,  that  He  might  reconcile  us  unto 
himself,  and  by  the  eternal  Spirit  offered  himself 
without  spot  unto  God,  He  suffered  for  our  sins, 
the  just  for  the  unjust,  that  He  might  bring  us  unto 
God. 

In  a  word,  if  justification  be  considered  in  its 
full  and  just  latitude,  neither  Christ's  work  with- 
out us,  in  the  prepared  body,  nor  his  work  within 
us,  by  his  Holy  Spirit,  is  to  be  excluded;  for  both 
have  their  place  and  service  in  our  complete  justi- 
fication. By  the  propitiatory  sacrifice  of  Christ 
without  us,  we,  truly  repenting  and  believing,  are, 
through  the  mercy  of  God,  justified  from  the  im- 
putation of  sins  and  transgressions  that  are  past, 
as  though  they  had  never  been  committed;  and  by 
the  mighty  work  of  Christ  within  us,  tlie  power, 
nature,  and  habits  of  sin  are  destroyed;  that,  as 
sin  once  reigned  unto  death,  even  so  now  grace 
reigueth,  through  righteousness,  unto  eternal  life, 
by  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord.  All  this  is  effected,  not 
by  a  bare  or  naked  act  of  faith,  separate  from  obe- 
dience, but  in  the  obedience  of  faith ;  Christ  being 
4* 


42  A   CONCISE  ACCOUNT  OF 

the  author  of  eternal  salvation  to  none  but  those 
that  obey  him.* 

OF    THE    RESURRECT  [OX    AND    LAST   JUDGMENT. 

The  Society  of  Friends  believes  that  there  will 
be  a  resurrection  both  of  the  righteous  and  the 
wicked;  the  one  to  eternal  life  and  blessedness, 
and  the  other  to  everlasting  misery  and  torment ; 
agreeably  to  Matt.  xxv.  31-46 ;  John  v.  25-30 ;  1 
Cor.  XV.  12-58.  That  God  will  judge  the  world 
by  that  man  whom  He  hath  ordained,  even  Christ 
Jesus  the  Lord,  who  will  render  unto  every  man 
according  to  his  works ;  to  them  who  by  patient 
continuing  in  well-doing  during  this  life  seek  for 
glory  and  honour.  He  will  give  immortality  and 
eternal  life ;  but  unto  the  contentious  and  disobe- 
dient, who  obey  not  the  Truth,  but  obey  unright- 
eousness, indignation,  and  wrath ;  tribulation  and 
anguish  upon  every  soul  of  man  that  sinneth ;  for 
God  is  no  respecter  of  persons. 

BAPTISM  AND  THE  SUPPER. 

As  there  is  one  Lord  and  one  faith,  so  there  is 
but  one  baptism,  of  which  the  water  baptism  of 
John  was  a  figure.  The  baptism  which  belongs 
to  the  gospel,  the  Society  of  Friends  believes,  is 
"  not  the  putting  away  the  filth  of  the  flesh,  but 
the  answer  of  a  good  conscience  toward  God,  by 

*  See  Appendix  E. 


THE  RELIGIOUS  SOCIETY  OF   FRIENDS.      43 

the  resurrection  of  Jesus  Christ,"  This  answer  of 
a  good  conscience  can  only  be  produced  by  the 
purifying  operation  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  transform- 
ing and  renewing  the  heart,  and  bringing  the  will 
into  conformity  to  the  divine  will.  The  distinc- 
tion between  Christ's  baptism  and  that  of  water  is 
clearly  pointed  out  by  John :  "I  indeed  baptize 
you  with  water  unto  repentance:  but  He  that 
cometli  after  me  is  mightier  than  I,  whose  shoes  I 
am  not  worthy  to  bear :  He  shall  baptize  you  with 
the  Holy  Ghost  and  fire :  whose  fan  is  in  his  hand, 
and  He  wall  thoroughly  purge  his  floor,  and  gather 
his  wheat  into  the  garner;  but  He  will  burn  up  the 
chafi"  with  unquenchable  fire." 

In  conformity  with  this  declaration,  the  Society 
holds  that  the  baptism  which  now  saves  is  inward 
and  spiritual ;  that  true  Christians  are  "  baptized 
by  one  Spirit  into  one  body;  "  that  "  as  many  as 
are  baptized  into  Christ  have  put  on  Christ ;  "  and 
that  "  if  any  man  be  in  Christ,  he  is  a  new  crea- 
ture :  old  things  are  passed  away,  behold  all  things 
are  become  new,  and  all  things  of  God." 

Respecting  the  communion  of  the  body  and 
blood  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  Society  of 
Friends  believes  that  it  is  inward  and  spiritual — a 
real  participation  of  his  divine  nature  through  faith 
in  Him  and  obedience  to  the  power  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  by  which  the  soul  is  enabled  daily  to  feed 
upon  the  flesh  and  blood  of  our  crucified  and  risen 
Lord,  and   is   thus  nourished  and  strengthened. 


44  A   CONCISE  ACCOUNT  OF 

Of  this  spiritual  communion,  the  breaking  of 
bread  and  drinking  of  wine  by  our  Saviour  with 
his  disciples  were  figurative ;  the  true  Christian 
supper  being  that  set  forth  in  the  Revelations: 
"  Behold,  I  stand  at  the  door  and  knock ;  if  any 
man  hear  my  voice  and  open  the  door,  I  will  come 
in  to  him  and  will  sup  with  him,  and  he  with 
me."  * 

ON   WORSHIP. 

As  tho  Lord  Jesus  declared,  "  "Without  me  ye 
can  do  nothing,"  the  Society  of  Friends  holds  the 
doctrine,  that  man  can  do  nothing  that  tends  to 
the  glory  of  God  and  his  own  salvation,  without 
the  immediate  assistance  of  the  Spirit  of  Christ ; 
and  that  this  aid  is  especially  necessary  in  the  per- 
formance of  the  highest  act  of  which  he  is  capable, 
even  the  worship  of  the  Ahnighty.  This  worship 
must  be  in  spirit  and  in  truth;  an  intercourse 
between  the  soul  and  its  great  Creator,  which  is 
not  dependent  upon,  or  necessarily  connected  with, 
anything  which  one  man  can  do  for  another.  It  is 
the  practice  therefore  of  the  Society  to  sit  down  in 
solemn  silence  to  worship  God ;  that  each  one  may 
be  engaged  to  gather  inward  to  the  gift  of  divine 
grace,  in  order  to  experience  ability  reverently  to 
wait  upon  the  Father  of  spirits,  and  to  offer  unto 
Him  through  Christ  Jesus,  our  holy  Mediator,  a 
sacrifice  well  pleasing  in  his  sight,  whether  it  be 

*  See  Appendix  F. 


THE   RELIGIOUS  SOCIETY  OF   FRIENDS.      45 

in  silent  mental  adoration,  the  secret  breathing  ol 
the  soul  unto  Him,  the  public  ministry  of  the 
gospel,  or  vocal  prayer  or  thanksgiving.  Those, 
who  are  thus  gathered,  are  the  true  worshippers, 
"  who  worship  God  in  the  Spirit,  rejoice  in  Christ 
Jesus,  and  have  no  confidence  in  the  flesh."  * 

OF    THE    MINISTRY    OF    THE    GOSPEL. 

In  relation  to  the  ministry  of  the  gospel,  the 
Society  holds  that  the  authority  and  qualification 
for  this  important  work  are  the  special  gift  of 
Christ  Jesus,  the  great  Head  of  the  church,  be- 
stowed upon  both  men  and  women,  without  dis- 
tinction of  rank,  talent,  or  learning.  This  gift 
must  be  received  immediately  from  Him,  through 
the  revelation  of  his  Spirit  in  the  heart;  agreeably 
to  the  declarations  of  the  apostle:  "He  gave  some 
apostles,  and  some  prophets,  and  some  evangelists, 
and  some  pastors  and  teachers,  for  the  perfecting 
of  the  saints,  for  the  work  of  the  ministry,  for 
the  edifying  of  the  body  of  Christ."  "  To  one 
is  given  by  the  Spirit,  the  word  of  wisdom,  to 
another  the  word  of  knowledge,  by  the  same 
Spirit;  to  another  faith;  to  another  the  gifts  of 
healing;  to  another  the  working  of  miracles;  to 
another  prophecy;  to  another  discerning  of  spirits; 
to  another  divers  kinds  of  tongues ;  to  another  the 
interpretation  of  tongues;   but  all  these  worketh 

*  See  Appendix  G. 


46  A   CONCISE   ACCOUNT  OP 

that  one  and  the  self-same  Spirit,  dividing  to  every 
man  severally  as  he  will."  "  If  any  man  speak, 
let  him  speak  as  the  oracles  of  God ;  if  any  man 
minister,  let  him  do  it  as  of  the  ability  which  God 
giveth ;  that  God  in  all  things  may  be  glorified 
through  Jesus  Christ." 

Viewing  the  command  of  our  Saviour,  "  Freely 
ye  have  received,  freely  give,"  as  of  lasting  obli- 
gation upon  all  his  ministers,  the  Society  has,  from 
the  first,  steadfastly  maintained  the  doctrine  that 
the  Gospel  is  to  be  preached  without  money  and 
without  price,  and  has  borne  a  constant  and  faithful 
testimony,  through  much  suffering,  against  a  man- 
made,  hireling  ministry,  which  derives  its  qualifica- 
tion and  authority  from  human  learning  and  ordi- 
nation ;  which  does  not  recognize  a  direct  divine 
call  to  this  solemn  work,  or  acknowledge  its  de- 
pendence, for  the  performance  of  it,  upon  the  re- 
newed motions  and  assistance  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 

Where  a  minister  believes  himself  called  to  re- 
ligious service  abroad,  the  expense  of  accomplish- 
ing which  is  beyond  his  means,  if  his  brethren 
unite  with  his  engaging  in  it  and  set  him  at  liberty 
therefor,  the  meeting  he  belongs  to  is  required  to 
see  that  the  service  be  not  hindered  for  want  of 
pecuniary  means. 

OF    WAR. 

The  Society  of  Friends  believes  that  war  is 
wholly  at  variance  with  the  spirit  of  the  gospel, 
which  continually  breathes  peace  on  earth  and 


THE   EELIGIOUS  SOCXET  i    JP    FRIEJ^DS.      47 

good-will  to  men.  That,  as  the  reign  of  the  Prince 
of  peace  comes  to  be  set  up  in  the  hearts  of  men, 
nation  shall  not  lift  up  sword  against  nation, 
neither  shall  they  learn  war  any  more.  They 
receive,  in  their  full  signification,  the  plain  and 
positive  commands  of  Christ:  "I  say  unto  you 
that  ye  resist  not  evil,"  —  "love  your  enemies; 
bless  them  that  curse  you ;  do  good  to  them  that 
hate  you,  and  pray  for  them  that  despitefully  use 
you  and  persecute  you,  that  ye  may  be  the  chil- 
dren of  your  Father  which  is  in  heaven."  They 
consider  these  to  be  binding  on  eveijy  Christian, 
and  that  the  observance  of  them  would  eradicate 
from  the  human  heart  those  malevolent  passions 
which  enscender  strife  and  warfare.* 

It  being  the  nature  and  design  of  the  Christian 
religion  to  subject  the  angry  and  revengeful  pas- 
sions of  human  nature  to  its  benign  influence  and 
government,  those  who  have  fully  submitted  to 
its  transforming  power,  must  necessarily  be  re- 
deemed from  the  spirit  in  which  wars  and  fighting 
originate.  The  gospel  of  Christ  is  a  message  of 
universal  love  and  peace,  and  the  precepts  of  its 
divine  Author  entirely  preclude  the  indulgence  of 
a  disposition  which  would  resent  an  injury  or  in- 
flict one  upon  a  fellow-creature.  Ye  have  heard, 
says  He,  " Jthat  it  hath  been  said,  an  eye  for  an  eye, 

*  The  reader  who  may  wish  to  see  this  subject  ably  treated  at 
length,  is  referred  to  "An  Inquiry  into  the  accordancy  of  Wai 
with  Christianity,  &c.,"  by  Jonathan  Dymond. 


48  A   CONCISE    ACCOUNT   OF 

and  a  tooth  for  a  tooth ;  but  I  say  unto  you  that  ye 
resist  not  evil ;  hut  whosoever  shall  smite  thee  on 
thy  right  cheek,  turn  to  him  the  other  also."  K 
then  we  would  be  children  of  God,  and  joint  heirs 
with  Christ,  we  must  love  our  enemies  instead  of 
hating  them,  do  good  to  them,  instead  of  injur- 
ing them ;  and  not  seek  to  avenge  ourselves  for 
wrongs  which  may  be  inflicted  upon  us. 

It  is  also  worthy  of  our  serious  consideration, 
that  in  our  Lord's  instructions  on  the  subject  of 
prayer,  we  are  taught  that  the  measure  of  the  for- 
giveness which  we  receive  from  our  heavenly 
Father,  will  be  that  which  we  exercise  toward  our 
fellow-men.  "  Forgive  us  our  debts,  as  we  forgive 
our  debtors."  "  And  when  ye  stand  praying,  for- 
give, if  ye  have  aught  against  any,  that  your 
Father  also,  which  is  in  heaven,  may  forgive  you 
your  trespasses."  "  But  if  ye  forgive  not  men 
their  trespasses,  neither  will  your  heavenly  Father 
forgive  you."  Thus  it  is  evident,  that  the  spirit 
of  the  gospel  is  that  of  unfeigned  love  and  for- 
giveness; and  wherever  these  plain  and  unalter- 
able commands  of  Christ  are  duly  regarded,  strife, 
malevolence,  and  discord  must  come  to  an  end ; 
"  violence  will  no  more  be  heard  in  the  land,  wast- 
ing or  destruction  within  its  borders ; "  but  the 
prediction  will  be  fulfilled,  "  they  shall  beat  their 
swords  into  plough-shares,  and  their  Spears  into 
pruning-hooks." 

When  we  contemplate  these  blessed  effects  of  the 


THE    RELIGIOUS   SOCIETY   OF   FKIENDS.       49 

religion  of  the  Prince  of  peace,  and  contrast  tliera 
with  tlie  fierce  and  cruel  passions  which  rage  upon 
the  battle-field;  tlie  injuries  inflicted  b}^  man  upon 
his  fellow ;  how  many  immortal  spirits  are  hurried 
unprepared  into  an  awful  eternity,  —  guilty,  per- 
haps, of  a  brother's  blood  ;  the  cry  of  the  mourn- 
ing w^idow  and  of  the  bereaved  orphan ;  how 
mournful  is  the  prospect,  and  how  deeply  is  it  to 
be  deplored,  that  any  of  the  professors  of  the 
Christian  name  should  countenance  a  system  so 
directly  opposed  to  the  precepts  of  Christ,  and  so 
oft'ensive  in  the  sight  of  heaven. 

ON    OATHS. 

In  the  same  manner  the  Society  believes  itself 
bound  by  the  express  command  of  our  Lord : 
"  Swear  not  at  all,  but  let  your  communication  be 
yea,  yea;  nay,  nay;  for  whatsoever  is  more  than 
these  Cometh  of  evil :  "  and  that  of  the  apostle 
James :  "  But  above  all  things,  my  brethren,  swear 
not;  neither  by  heaven,  neither  by  the  earth, 
neither  by  any  other  oath;  but  let  your  yea  be 
yea,  and  your  nay  nay,  lest  ye  fall  into  condemna- 
tion ;  "  and  therefore  its  members  refuse,  for  con- 
scienae'  sake,  either  to  administer  or  to  take  an 
oath. 

OF  PUBLIC  FASTS  AND  THE  FIRST   DAY  OF  THE  "WEEK. 

Consistently  with  its  belief  in  the  purity  and 
spirituality  of  the  gospel,  the  Society  cannot  con- 

5 


50  A    CONCISE    ACCOUNT    OF 

scientiously  unite  in  the  observance  of  public 
fasts,  and  feasts,  and  holy  days,  set  up  in  the  will 
of  man.  It  believes  that  the  fast  we  are  called  to, 
is  not  bowing  the  head  as  a  bulrush  for  a  day,  and 
abstaining  from  meats  or  drinks ;  but  a  continued 
fasting  from  everything  of  a  sinful  nature,  which 
would  unfit  the  soul  for  being  the  temple  of  the 
Holy  Ghost.  It  holds,  that  under  the  gospel  dis- 
pensation there  is  no  inherent  holiness  in  any  one 
day  above  another,  but  that  every  day  is  to  be 
kept  alike  holy,  by  denying  ourselves,  taking  up 
our  cross  daily,  and  following  Christ.  Hence  it 
cannot  pay  a  superstitious  reverence  to  the  first 
day  of  the  week ;  but  inasmuch  as  it  is  necessary 
that  some  time  should  be  set  apart  to  meet  to- 
gether to  wait  upon  God,  and  as  it  is  fit  that  at 
some  times  we  should  be  freed  from  our  worldly 
affairs,  and  as  it  is  reasonable  and  just  that  ser- 
vants and  beasts  should  have  some  time  allowed 
them  for  rest  from  their  labour ;  and  as  it  appears 
that  the  apostles  and  primitive  Christians  used  the 
first  day  of  the  week  for  these  purposes ;  the  So- 
ciety, therefore,  observes  this  day  as  a  season  of 
cessation  from  all  unnecessary  labour,  and  for  reli- 
gious retirement  and  waiting  upon  God  ;  yet  not 
so  as  to  pre\ent  them  from  meeting  on  other  days 
of  the  week  for  divine  worship. 


THE    RELIGIOUS  SOCIETY  OF   FRIENDS.      51 

SLAVERY,    AND    THE    USE    OF    ARDENT    SPIRITS. 

The  Society  has  long  borne  a  testimony  against 
the  crying  sin  of  enslaving  the  human  species,  as 
entirely  at  variance  with  the  commands  of  our 
Saviour,  and  the  spirit  of  the  Christian  religion. 

When  we  remember  that  the  victims  of  this 
system  of  wickedness  and  cruelty  are  our  brethren; 
children  of  the  same  universal  parent ;  for  whose 
souls  Christ  died  as  well  as  for  ours,  and  that  they 
are  designed  to  be  fellow-heirs  with  us  of  immortal- 
ity and  eternal  life,  the  suiferings,  the  degradation, 
and  the  wrongs  they  endure,  cannot  but  awaken 
our  sympathies,  and  incite  the  inquiry  what  the 
Lord  is  calling  for  at  our  hands,  in  their  behalf. 
The  sin  of  slavery,  with  its  multitude  of  attendant 
evils,  hangs  as  a  dark  cloud  over  our  land,  and 
portends  the  approaching  infliction  of  divine 
judgments.*  We  believe,  that  as  the  spirit  of  the 
gospel  is  suffered  to  prevail  among  the  professors 
of  the  sacred  name  of  Christ,  it  will  bring  with  it 
peace  on  earth  and  good-will  to  men,  without  dis- 
tinction of  nation  or  colour ;  —  "  will  loose  the 
bands  of  wickedness,  undo  the  heavy  burdens, 
break  every  yoke,  and  let  the  oppressed  go  free." 

Friends  also  bear  a  steady  testimony  against 
the  unnecessary  distillation  and  use  of  spirituous 
liquors,  and  against  dealing  in  them. 

*  This  w<as  written  prior  to  the  Rebellion,  which  terminated 
slavery. 


52  A   CONCISE   ACCOUNT  OF 

MAGISTRACY    AND    LAW. 

Friends  believe  magistracy  or  civil  government 
to  be  God's  ordinance,  the  good  ends  thereof  being 
for  the  punishment  of  evil-doers,  and  the  praise  of 
them  that  do  well.  While  they  feel  themselves 
restrained  by  the  pacific  principles  of  the  gospel 
from  joining  in  any  warlike  measures  to  pull  down, 
set  up,  or  defend  any  particular  government,  they 
consider  it  a  duty  to  live  peaceably  under  what- 
ever form  of  government  it  shall  please  Divine 
Providence  to  permit  to  be  set  up  over  them ;  to 
obey  the  laws  so  far  as  they  do  not  violate  their 
consciences;  and,  where  an  active  compliance 
would  infringe  on  their  religious  principles,  to 
endure  patiently  the  penalties  imposed  upon  them. 
The  Society  discourages  its  members  from  accept- 
ing posts  or  offices  in  civil  government  which  ex- 
pose them  to  the  danger  of  violating  our  Christian 
testimonies  against  war,  oaths,  &e.,  and  also  from 
engaging  in  political  strife  and  party  heats  and 
disputes,  believing  that  the  work  to  which  we  are 
particularly  called,  is  to  labour  for  the  spread  of 
the  peaceful  reign  of  the  Messiah. 

It  also  forbids  its  members  to  go  to  law  with 
each  other;  enjoining  them  to  settle  their  disputes, 
if  any  arise,  through  the  arbitration  of  their 
brethren ;  and  if  peculiar  circumstances,  such  as 
the  cases  of  executors,  trustees,  &c.,  render  this 
course  impracticable  or  unsafe,  and  liberty  is  ob- 


THE    RELIGIOUS   SOCIETY   OF   FBIENDS.       53 

tained  to  bring  tlie  matter  into  court,  that  they 
should  on  such  occasions,  as  well  as  in  suits  with 
other  persons,  conduct  themselves  with  modera- 
tion and  forbearance,  without  anger  or  animosity ; 
and  in  their  whole  demeanor  evince  that  they  are 
under  the  government  of  a  divine  principle,  and  that 
nothing  but  the  necessity  of  the  case  brings  them 
there. 

ON    MODERATION,    AMUSEMENTS,    AND    FASHIONS. 

In  conformity  with  the  precepts  and  examples 
of  the  apostles  and  primitive  believers,  the  Society 
enjoins  upon  its  members  a  simple  and  unostenta- 
tious mode  of  living,  free  from  needless  care  and 
expense ;  moderation  in  the  pursuit  of  business ; 
and  that  they  discountenance  lotteries  of  every 
kind,  music,  dancing,  stage-plays,  horse-races,  and 
all  other  vain  and  unprofitable  amusements;  as 
well  as  the  changeable  fashions  and  manners  of  the 
world,  in  dress,  language,  or  the  furniture  of  their 
houses ;  that,  daily  living  in  the  fear  of  God  and 
under  the  power  of  the  cross  of  Christ,  which  cru- 
cifies to  the  world  and  all  its  lusts,  they  may  show 
forth  a  conduct  and  conversation  becoming  their 
Christian  profession,  and  adorn  the  doctrine  of 
God  our  Saviour  in  all  things.* 

*  See  Appendix  H. 
6* 


APPENDIX. 


ADISTrN'GUISHIN'G  trait  in  the  character  of 
the  primitive  Friends,  was  the  earnestnesa 
with  which  they  enforced,  both  by  example  and 
precept,  the  indispensable  obligation  of  a  life  of 
holiness  in  the  fear  of  God.  While  they  felt  the 
necessity  of  having  a  somid  and  firm  belief  in  all 
the  doctrines  of  the  Christian  religion  as  set  forth 
in  the  Holy  Scriptures,  they  were  also  convinced 
that  unless  this  belief  was  carried  out  in  the  daily 
walk  and  conversation,  and  accompanied  by  those 
fruits  of  the  Spirit  which  are  the  evidences  of  true 
faith,  as  well  as  the  ornament  of  the  Christian,  it 
would  be  of  little  avail. 

Recognizing  in  its  full  extent  the  declaration, 
"  Except  a  man  be  born  again,  he  cannot  see  the 
kingdom  of  God,"  and  the  test  laid  down  by  the 
Saviour  of  men,  "  By  their  fruits  shall  ye  know 
them;  "  as  well  as  his  solemn  words,  "Not  every 
one  that  saith  unto  me.  Lord,  Lord,  shall  enter 
into  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  but  he  that  doth  the 
will  of  my  Father  which  is  in  heaven,"  they  were 
concerned  to  warn  all  against  the  delusive  notion 

54 


APPENDIX.  55 

that  men  might  live  in  sin,  and  in  the  indulgence 
of  their  carnal  wills  and  appetites,  and  yet  be 
saved  by  a  professed  dependence  on  what  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  has  graciously  done  in  his  flesh  for 
the  i-edemption  of  mankind. 

They  were  plain,  practical,  self-denying  men  and 
women,  deeply  and  earnestly  engaged  to  walk  in 
the  obedience  of  faith  to  all  the  requirements  of 
the  Divine  law;  and  their  minds  being  enlightened 
from  on  high  to  see  the  true  spiritual  nature  and 
the  transforming  effects  of  the  religion  of  the 
gospel,  they  apprehended  that  many  of  its  pro- 
fessors were  resting  their  hopes  of  salvation  in  a 
mere  assent  of  the  understanding  to  the  truths  re- 
corded in  the  Holy  Scriptures,  and  in  the  compli- 
ance with  outward  ceremonies,  without  bringing 
forth  those  "  good  works  which  were  before  or- 
dained that  we  should  walk  in  them."  The  in- 
ward life  of  righteousness  in  the  daily  fear  of  God, 
being  the  great  object  of  their  earnest  concern  and 
engagement,  both  for  themselves  and  others,  they 
called  on  their  hearers  to  come  home  into  their 
own  hearts,  and  examine,  in  the  light  which  Christ 
gives,  whether  they  were  clean  and  pure,  or  defiled 
and  unholy. 

With  no  less  earnestness  they  pressed  upon  all 
the  necessity  of  a  close  attention  and  obedience  to 
the  teachings  of  the  Spirit  of  Truth  in  the  heart, 
as  the  great  enlightener  and  sanctifier  of  man,  and 
his  guide  in  things  pertaining  to  salvation ;  as  the 


56  APPENDIX. 

true  light  by  wMcli  every  one  might  come  to  see 
his  own  state,  as  seen  by  the  Searcher  of  hearts, 
and  be  shown  the  way  to  come  out  of  the  thraldom 
of  sin  into  the  glorious  liberty  of  the  children  of 
God. 

They  invited  men  to  come  to  and  believe  in 
Christ  Jesus  the  Lord,  not  only  as  testified  of  in 
the  Bible  as  the  Redeemer,  Propitiation,  Mediator, 
and  Intercessor  with  the  Father  for  lost  fallen  man, 
but  also  as  He  reveals  himself  in  the  heart  by  his 
Spirit,  as  the  true  Light;  sliowingman  his  undone 
condition  in  the  fall,  and  the  means  by  which  he 
may  be  brought  out  of  it,  by  being  born  again  of 
the  Spirit;  and  also  as  a  swift  witness  against  evil, 
and  a  comforter  for  well  doing.  Esteeming  this 
knowledge  as  the  very  essence  of  true  religion, 
they  dwelt  much  upon  it  in  their  ministry  and 
writings,  and  even  in  their  dying  sayings  enjoined 
it  on  their  hearers,  as  of  the  first  importance  to  all 
who  hoped  for  salvation. 

The  views  here  portrayed  sometimes  led  the  op- 
ponents of  the  early  Friends,  through  prejudice  or 
misunderstanding,  to  charge  them  with  slighting 
or  undervaluing,  or  with  saying  but  little  about  the 
work  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  in  his  outward  ap- 
pearance for  man's  sake,  and  with  depending  for 
salvation  on  their  own  good  works.  Such  charges 
they  steadfastly  denied,  declaring  that  they  had 
living  faith  in  Hira,  as  the  only  Saviour  and  Re- 
deemer, a  reverent  esteem  for  all  his  holy  offices, 


APPENDIX.  57 

and  that  they  looked  and  hoped  for  salvation  only 
in  and  through  Ilim. 

•In  order  further  to  illustrate  and  confirm  the 
views  contained  in  the  foregoing  pages,  the  follow- 
ing extracts  are  submitted  to  the  attention  of  the 
reader.  Some  of  them  are  taken  from  Declarations 
of  Faith  or  other  ofiicial  documents,  issued  either 
by  the  Society  itself  or  with  its  sanction,  and 
others  from  authors  whose  writings  have  been  ap- 
proved. 

A. 

Of  the  Holy  Three  that  hear  Record  in  Heaven. 

In  a  work  entitled  "  An  Answer  to  all  such  as 
falsely  say  the  Quakers  are  no  Christians,"  GtEGRGE 
Fox  has  these  remarks,  viz. : 

"  We  own  the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy 
Ghost,  as  the  apostles  have  declared." 

"  It  is  the  Spirit  that  beareth  witness,  because 
the  Spirit  is  Truth ;  for  there  are  three  that  bear 
record  in  heaven,  the  Father,  the  Word,  and  the 
Holy  Ghost,  and  these  Three  are  one ;  and  there 
are  Three  which  bear  record  in  earth,  &c.,  which 
we  own,  1  John  v.  6,  7.  And  now  let  none  be 
ojffended,  because  we  do  not  call  them  by  those 
unscriptaral  names  of  Trinity,  and  Three  Persons, 
which  are  not  Scripture  words ;  and  so  do  falsely 
say  that  we  deny  the  Father,  the  Word,  and  the 
Holy  Ghost,  which  Three  are  one  that  bear  record 
in  heaven,  &c.,  which  Three  we  own  with  all  our 


58  THE    HOLY   THREE 

hearts,  as  tlie  Apostle  Jolin  did,  and  as  all  truo 
Christians  ever  did,  and  now  do ;  an  i  if  you  say 
we  are  not  Christians,  because  we  do  not  call  the 
Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  the  Trinity,  distinct 
and  separate  persons;  then  you  may  as  well  con- 
clude that  John  was  no  Christian,  who  did  not 
give  the  Father,  Word,  and  Holy  Ghost,  these 
names. 

"  We  believe  concerning  God  the  Father,  Son, 
and  Spirit,  according  to  the  testimony  of  the  Holy 
Scripture,  which  we  receive  and  embrace  as  the 
most  authentic  and  perfect  declaration  of  Christian 
faith,  being  indited  by  the  Holy  Spirit  of  God, 
that  never  errs:  1st,  That  there  is  one  God  and 
Father,  of  whom  are  all  things ;  2dly,  That  there 
is  one  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  by  whom  all  things  were 
made,  John  i.  and  xvii.  and  Rom.  ix.,  who  was 
glorified  with  the  Father  before  the  world  began, 
who  is  God  over  all,  blessed  forever,  John  xiv. 
That  there  is  one  Holy  Spirit,  the  promise  of  the 
Father  and  the  Son,  and  leader,  and  sanctifier,  and 
comforter  of  his  people,  1  John  v.  And  we  fur- 
ther believe,  as  the  Holy  Scriptures  soundly  and 
sufliciently  express,  that  these  Three  are  one,  even 
the  Father,  the  Word,  and  Spirit." 

In  the  "  Testimony  to  the  Truth,  as  held  by  the 
people  called  Quakers,"  William  Penn  says:  "  Con- 
cerning the  Father,  the  Word,  and  the  Spirit. 
Because  we  have  been  very  cautious  in  expressing 
our  faith  concerning  that  great  mystery,  especially 


THAT  BEAR  RECORD  IN  HEAVEN.    59 

in  such  school  terms  and  philosophical  distinctions 
as  are  unscriptural,  if  not  unsound,  (the  tendency 
'vhereof  hath  been,  to  raise  frivolous  controversies 
and  animosities  amongst  men,)  we  have,  by  those 
that  desire  to  lessen  our  Christian  reputation,  been 
represented  as  deniers  of  the  Trinity  at  large : 
whereas  we  ever  believed,  and  as  constantly  main- 
tained, the  truth  of  that  blessed  Holy  Scripture 
Three  that  bear  record  in  heaven,  the  Father,  the 
Word,  and  the  Spirit,  and  that  these  Three  are 
One ;  the  which  we  both  sincerely  and  reverently 
believe,  according  to  1  John  v.  7.  And  this  is 
sufficient  for  us  to  believe  and  know,  and  hath  a 
tendency  to  edification  and  holiness;  when  the 
contrary  centres  only  in  imaginations,  and  strife, 
and  persecution,  where  it  runs  high  and  to  parties, 
as  may  be  read  in  bloody  characters  in  the  ecclesi- 
astical histories." 

George  Whitehead  thus  sets  forth  the  belief  of 
•he  Society  of  Friends  on  this  subject,  viz.  : 

"  The  Holy  Scripture  Trinity,  or  Three  thereby 
meant,  we  never  questioned,  but  believed;  as  also 
the  unity  of  Essence;  that  they  are  one  substance, 
one  Divine  infinite  Being,  and  also  we  question 
not,  but  sincerely  believe,  the  relative  properties 
of  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  according  to  Holy 
Scripture  testimony,  Matt,  xxviii.  19,  and  that  these 
Three  are  One,  1  John  v.  7." 

A  Declaration  of  Faith  drawn  up  in  the  form 
of  question  and  answer,  and  presented  to  the  Par- 


60  THE    DIVINITY   AND   OFFICES   OF 

liament  of  Great  Britain  in  1689,  by  the  Society 
of  Friends,  contains  tlie  following,  viz. : 

"  Q.  What 's  your  belief  concerning  the  blessed 
Trinity,  as  our  term  is  ? 

"  Answer.  Our  belief  is,  that  in  the  unity  of 
the  Godhead  there  is  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost, 
being  those  Three  Divine  "Witnesses  that  bear  re- 
cord in  heaven,  the  Father,  the  Word,  and  the 
Holy  Spirit,  and  that  these  Three  are  one,  accord- 
ing to  Holy  Scripture  testimony." 

B. 

Of  the  Divinity  and  offices  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

George  Fox,  in  his  Journal,  writes  as  follows, 
viz. : 

"  Priest  Stevens  asked  me,  '  Why  Christ  cried 
out  upon  the  cross,  "  My  God,  my  God,  why  hast 
thou  forsaken  me  ?  "  '  and  why  He  said,  '  If  it  be 
possible,  let  this  cup  pass  from  me,  yet  not  my  will 
but  thine  be  done?'  I  told  him,  at  that  time  the 
sins  of  all  mankind  were  upon  Him,  and  their 
iniquities  and  transgressions,  with  which  He  was 
wounded ;  which  He  was  to  bear,  and  to  be  an 
Dftering  for,  as  He  was  man,  but  died  not  as  He 
was  God ;  so  in  that  He  died  for  all  men,  tasting 
death  for  every  man.  He  was  an  offering  for  the 
sins  of  the  whole  world.  This  I  spoke,  being 
at  that  time,  \n  a  measure,  sensible  of  Christ'a 
Buffei  ings." 


OP  THE   LORD   JESUS  CHRIST.  6l 

In  a  letter  to  the  governor  and  council  of  Bar- 
badoes,  written  on  behalf  of  the  Society  of  Friends, 
to  clear  it  from  some  malicious  misrepresentations, 
he  says : 

"  We  own  and  believe  in  the  Only,  "Wise,  Om- 
nipotent, and  Everlasting  God,  the  Creator  of  all ' 
things  in  heaven  and  earth,  and  the  Preserver  of 
all  that  He  hath  made ;  who  is  God  over  all  blessed 
forever,  to  whom  be  all  honour,  glory,  dominion, 
praise,  and  thanksgiving,  both  now  and  for  ever- 
more ! 

"  And  we  own  and  believe  in  Jesus  Christ,  his 
beloved  and  only-begotten  Son,  in  whom  He  is 
well  pleased,  who  was  conceived  by  the  Holy  Ghost 
and  born  of  the  Virgin  Mary;  in  whom  we  have 
redemption  through  his  blood,  even  the  forgive- 
ness of  sins ;  who  is  the  express  image  of  the  in- 
visible God,  the  First  Born  of  every  creature ;  by 
whom  were  all  things  created  that  are  in  heaven 
and  in  earth,  visible  and  invisible,  whether  they  be 
thrones,  dominions,  principalities,  or  powers,  all 
things  were  created  by  Him. 

"  And  we  own  and  believe  that  He  was  made  a 
sacrifice  for  sin,  who  knew  no  sin,  neither  was  guile 
found  in  his  mouth ;  that  He  was  crucified  for  us, 
in  the  flesh,  without  the  gates  of  Jerusalem ;  and 
that  He  was  buried  and  rose  again  the  third  day, 
by  the  power  of  his  Father,  for  our  justificatiou, 
and  that  He  ascended  up  into  heave:i,  a  id  now 
sitteth  at  the  right  hand  of  God. 

6 


62  THE    DIVINITY   AND   OFFICES 

"  This  Jesus,  who  was  the  foundation  of  the 
holy  prophets  and  apostles,  is  our  foundation ;  and 
we  believe  there  is  no  other  foundation  to  be  laid, 
but  that  which  is  laid,  even  Christ  Jesus,  who 
tasted  death  for  every  man,  shed  his  blood  for  all 
men ;  is  the  propitiation  for  our  sins,  and  not  for 
ours  only,  but  also  for  the  sins  of  the  whole  world : 
according  as  John  the  Baptist  testified  of  Him, 
when  he  said,  'Behold  the  Lamb  of  God  that 
taketh  away  the  sins  of  the  world.'  John  i. 
29. 

"  We  believe  that  He  alone  is  our  Redeemer  and 
Saviour,  the  Captain  of  our  Salvation,  who  saves 
us  from  sin,  as  well  as  from  hell  and  the  wrath  to 
come,  and  destroys  the  devil  and  his  works ;  He  is 
the  seed  of  the  woman,  that  bruises  the  serpent's 
head,  viz,,  Christ  Jesus,  the  Alpha  and  Omega, 
the  first  and  the  last.  He  is,  as  the  Scriptures  of 
Truth  say  of  him,  our  wisdom,  righteousness,  justi- 
fication, and  redemption;  neither  is  there  salva- 
tion in  any  other,  for  there  is  no  other  name  under 
heaven,  given  among  men,  whereby  we  may  be 
saved. 

"  He  alone  is  the  Shepherd  and  Bishop  of  our 
souls :  He  is  our  Prophet  whom  Moses  long  since 
testified  of,  saying,  '  A  Prophet  shall  the  Lord  your 
God  raise  up  unto  you,  of  your  brethren,  like  unto 
me ;  Him  shall  ye  hear  in  all  things,  whatsoever 
He  shall  say  unto  you :  and  it  shall  come  to  pass 
that  every  soul  which  will  not  hear  that  Prophet, 


OF   THE    LORD   JESUS   CHRIST.  63 

shall  be  destroyed  from  among  the  people.'  Acta 
iii.  22,  23. 

"  He  is  now  come  in  Spirit,  '  and  hath  given  us 
an  understanding  that  we  know  Him  that  is  true.' 
He  rules  in  our  hearts  by  his  law  of  love  and  life, 
and  makes  us  free  from  the  law  of  sin  and  death. 
We  have  no  life  but  by  him,  for  He  is  the  quicken- 
ing Spirit,  the  second  Adam,  the  Lord  from  heaven, 
by  whose  blood  we  are  cleansed  and  our  con- 
sciences sprinkled  from  dead  works  to  serve  the 
living  God.  He  is  our  Mediator,  who  makes 
peace  and  reconciliation  between  God  offended 
and  us  offending ;  He  being  the  Oath  of  God,  the 
new  Covenant  of  light,  life,  grace,  and  peace,  the 
ituthor  and  finisher  of  our  faith. 

"  This  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  heavenly  Man, 
the  Immanuel,  God  with  us,  we  all  own  and  be- 
lieve in  ;  He  whom  the  high-priest  raged  against, 
and  said  He  had  spoken  blasphemy ;  whom  the 
priests  and  elders  of  the  Jews  took  counsel  together 
against,  and  put  to  death ;  the  same  whom  Judas 
betrayed  for  thirty  pieces  of  silver,  which  the 
priests  gave  him,  as  a  reward  for  his  treason ;  who 
also  gave  large  money  to  the  soldiers,  to  broach  a 
horrible  lie,  namely,  that  his  disciples  came  and 
stole  him  away  by  night,  whilst  they  slept.  Aftei 
He  was  risen  from  the  dead,  the  history  of  the  Acts 
of  the  Apostles  sets  forth,  how  the  chief  priests 
and  elders  persecuted  the  disciples  of  this  Jesus, 
for  I  reaching  Christ  and  his  resurrection.     This, 


64  THE   DIVINITY   AND   OFFICES 

we  sa}',  is  that  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  wliom  we  own 
to  be  our  life  and  salvation." 

George  Whitehead,  in  a  treatise  entitled  "  The 
People  called  Quakers,  truly  Represented  and  Vin- 
dicated," makes  the  following  statements  in  their 
behalf,  viz. : 

"  We  know  nothing,  in  point  of  Christian  doc- 
trine and  principle,  more  openly  and  apparently 
asserted  and  propagated  by  the  said  people  called 
Quakers,  than  the  divinity  of  Christ,  and  essential 
union  of  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost.  This 
holy  and  blessed  Scripture  Trinity  we  have  always 
stood  for,  in  real  faith  and  practice. 

"  The  divinity  of  our  blessed  Lord  and  Saviour 
Jesus  Christ,  that  He  is  the  Eternal  Word,  the 
true  God,  as  well  as  truly  man,  being  expressly 
agreeable  to  Holy  Scripture  testimony;  viz.,  that 
He  is  the  mighty  God,  &c.,  the  Eternal  Word, 
whereby  all  things  were  made;  who  is  over  all, 
God  blessed  forever:  God  created  all  things  by 
Jesus  Christ;  who  is  the  true  God  and  eternal  life; 
by  whom  also  the  worlds  were  made.  The  Divine 
Three  that  bear  record  in  heaven,  are  the  Father, 
the  Word,  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  these  Three 
are  One." 

"  Thus  we  sincerely  believe  and  confess  the 
Divinity  and  Deity  of  the  eternal  Son  of  God, 
Christ  Jesus,  with  respect  to  his  being  the  Eternal 
Word,  which  was  in  the  t  eginning;  before  Abraham 
was;  fi -jm  everlasting;  glorified  with  the  Father 


OF   THE   LORD  JESUS  CHRIST.  65 

before  tlie  world  began  :  and  in  respect  to  the  ful- 
ness of  the  Godhead,  yea,  all  fulness,  d^velling  in 
him;  and  as  all  power  in  heaven  and  earlh  is  given 
unto  him;  and  by  whom  also  God  made  the 
worlds. 

"  All  which  seriously  considered,  thus  to  assert 
the  glorious  Divinity  of  the  Son  of  God,  cannot 
be  inconsistent  with  his  divine  wisdom,  love,  and 
grectt  condescension  in  assuming  the  holy  human- 
ity, his  pure  and  perfect  manhood  for  our  sakes, 
even  for  the  redemption  of  mankind.  'Without 
controversy,  great  is  the  mystery  of  godliness;' 
saith  the  apostle,  1  Tim.  iii.  16,  '  God  was  mani- 
fest in  the  flesh,  justified  in  the  Spirit,'  &c.  And 
surely  excellent  is  the  mystery  of  Christ,  and  the 
true  spiritual  knowledge  of  him,  and  his  riches 
unsearchable." 

In  the  Declaration  of  Faith  presented  by  Friends 
to  Parliament  in  1689,  the  following  passages  oc- 
cur, viz. : 

"  Question.  Do  you  believe  the  divinity  and 
humanity  of  Jesus  Christ,  the  eternal  Son  of  God, 
or  that  Jesus  Christ  is  truly  God  and  man  ? 

"Answer.  Yes;  we  verily  believe  that  Jesus 
Christ  is  truly  God  and  man,  according  as  Holy 
Scripture  testifies  of  him ;  God  over  all,  blessed 
forever ;  the  true  God  and  eternal  life ;  the  one 
Mediator  between  God  and  men,  even  the  Man 
Christ  Jesus. 

"  Question.  Do  you  believe  and  expect  aalva- 
6* 


66  THE   DIVINITY   AND    OFFICES   OF 

tion  and  justification  by  the  righteousness  and 
merits  of  Jesus  Christ,  or  by  your  own  righteous- 
ness or  works  ? 

"  Answer.  By  Jesus  Christ,  his  righteousness, 
merits,  and  works,  and  not  by  our  own :  God  is 
not  indebted  to  us  for  our  deservings,  but  Ave  to 
him  for  his  free  grace  in  Christ  Jesus,  whereby  we 
are  saved  through  faith  in  him,  not  of  ourselves, 
and  by  his  grace  enabled  truly  and  acceptably  to 
serve  and  follow  him  as  He  requires.  He  is  our  all 
in  all,  who  worketh  all  in  us  that  is  well  pleasing 
to  God. 

"  Question.  Do  you  believe  remission  of  sins 
and  redemption,  through  the  sufferings,  death,  and 
blood  of  Christ  ? 

"Answer.  Yes;  through  faith  in  him,  as  He 
suffered  and  died  for  all  men,  gave  himself  a  ran- 
som for  all,  and  his  blood  being  shed  for  the  re- 
mission of  sins,  so  all  they  who  sincerely  believe 
and  obey  him,  receive  the  benefits  and  blessed 
effects  of  his  suffering  and  dying  for  them  :  they, 
by  faith  in  his  name,  receive  and  partake  of  that 
eternal  redemption  which  He  hath  obtained  for  us, 
who  gave  himself  for  us  that  He  might  redeem  us 
from  all  iniquity :  He  died  for  our  sins,  and  rose 
again  for  our  justification ;  and  if  we  walk  in  the 
light  as  He  is  in  the  light,  we  have  fellowship  one 
with  another,  and  the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ  his 
Son  cleanseth  us  from  all  sin." 

The  Declaration  of  Faith  given  forth  in  1693, 


OF  THE   LOED  JE?T)5  CHRIST.  67 

thus   speaks  of   the  divinity  and  offices  of  our 
blessed  Saviour,  viz. : 

"  This  Word,  or  Son  of  God,  in  the  fulness  of 
time,  took  flesh,  became  perfect  man,  according 
to  the  flesh  descended  and  came  of  the  seed  of 
Abraham  and  David,  bi.*^^  was  miraculously  con- 
ceived by  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  born  of  the  Virgin 
Mary;  and  also  further,  declared  powerfully  to  be 
the  f^on  of  God,  according  to  the  Spirit  of  sancti- 
fication,  by  the  resurrection  from  the  dead. 

"  That  in  the  Word,  or  Son  of  God,  was  life, 
and  the  siame  life  was  the  light  of  men ;  and  that 
He  was  that  true  light  which  enlightens  every  man 
coming  into  the  world;  and  therefore  that  men  are 
to  believe  in  the  light,  that  they  may  become  the 
children  of  the  light.  Hereby  we  believe  in  Christ 
the  Son  of  God,  as  He  is  the  light  and  life  within 
us ;  and  wherein  we  must  needs  have  sincere  re- 
spect and  honour  to,  and  belief  in,  Christ,  as  in 
his  own  unapproachable  and  incomprehensible 
glory  and  fulness ;  as  He  is  the  fountain  of  life  and 
light,  and  giver  thereof  unto  us ;  Christ,  as  in  him 
self,  and  as  in  us,  being  not  divided. 

"  And  that  as  man,  Christ  died  for  our  sins, 
rose  again,  and  was  received  up  into  glory  in  the 
heavens.  He,  having,  in  his  dying  for  all,  been 
that  one  great  universal  offering,  and  sacrifice  for 
peace,  atonement,  and  reconcili  ation  between  God 
and  man ;  and  He  is  the  prop  tiation  not  for  our 
sins  only,  but  for  the  sins  oi   the  whole  world. 


68  THE   DIVINITY  AND  OFFICES 

We  were  reconciled  by  his  death,  but  saved  by  his 
life, 

"  That  Jesus  Christ,  who  sitteth  at  the  right 
hand  of  the  throne  of  the  Majesty  in  the  heavens, 
is  our  King,  High  Priest,  and  Prophet  in  his 
church,  a  Minister  of  the  sanctuary,  and  of  the  true 
tabernacle  which  the  Lord  pitched,  and  not  man. 
He  is  Intercessor  and  Advocate  with  the  Father  in 
heaven,  there  appearing  in  the  presence  of  God 
for  us,  being  touched  with  the  feeling  of  our  in- 
firmities, sufferings,  and  sorrows ;  and  also  by  his 
Spirit  in  our  hearts.  He  maketh  intercession  ac- 
cording to  the  will  of  Grod,  crying,  Abba,  Father. 

"For  any  whom  God  hath  gifted  and  called, 
sincerely  to  preach  faith  in  the  same  Christ,  both 
as  within  and  without  us,  cannot  be  to  preach  two 
Christs,  but  one  and  the  same  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
having  respect  to  those  degrees  of  our  spiritual 
knowledge  of  Christ  Jesus,  in  us,  and  to  his  own 
unspeakable  fulness  and  glory,  as  in  himself,  in  his 
own  entire  being,  wherein  Christ  himself  and  the 
least  measure  of  his  light  or  life,  as  in  us  or  in 
mankind,  are  not  divided  or  separable,  no  more 
than  the  sun  is  from  its  light. 

"  And  as  He  ascended  far  above  all  heavens,  that 
He  might  fill  all  things,  his  fulness  cannot  be  com- 
prehended, or  contained  in  any  finite  creature;  but 
in  some  measure  known  and  experienced  in  us,  as 
we  are  capable  to  receive  the  same,  as  of  his  ful- 
ness we  have  received  grace  for  grace.     Christ  our 


OF  THE   LORD   JESUS  CHRIST.  69 

JSrediator,  received  tlie  Spirit,  not  b}^  measure,  but 
iu  fulness ;  but  in  every  one  of  us  is  given  grace, 
according  to  the  measure  of  his  gift. 

"  That  the  gospel  of  the  grace  of  God  should 
be  preached  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  Son,  and 
Holy  Ghost,  being  one  in  power,  wisdom,  and 
goodness,  and  indivisible,  or  not  to  be  divided,  in 
the  great  work  of  man's  salvation. 

"  We  sincerely  confess  and  believe  in  Jesus 
Christ,  both  as  He  is  true  God  and  perfect  Man, 
and  that  He  is  the  Author  of  our  living  faith  in 
the  power  and  goodness  of  God  as  manifested  in 
his  Son  Jesus  Christ,  and  by  his  own  blessed  Spirit, 
or  divine  unction,  revealed  in  us,  whereby  we  in- 
wardly feel  and  taste  of  his  goodness,  life,  and. 
virtue  ;  so  as  our  souls  live  and  prosper  by  and  in 
Him,  The  inward  sense  of  this  divine  power  of 
Christ,  and  faith  in  the  same,  and  thig  inward  ex- 
perience, are  absolutely  necessary  to  make  a  true, 
sincere,  and  perfect  Christian  in  spirit  and  life. 

"  That  divine  honour  and  worship  is  due  to  the 
Son  of  God ;  and  that  He  is  in  true  faith  to  be 
prayed  unto,  and  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  called  upon,  as  the  primitive  Christians  did, 
because  of  the  glorious  union  or  oneness  of  the 
Father  and  the  Son ;  and  that  we  cannot  accepta- 
bly offer  up  our  prayers  and  praises  to  God,  nor 
receive  a  gracious  answer  or  blessing  from  God, 
but  in  and  through  his  dear  Son,  Christ." 

Another  Declaration  o^  Faith  contains  the  fol- 
lowing, viz.  : 


70  OFTHEIIOLYSPIRITAND 

*'  1.  That  we  sincerely  believe  and  confess  thai 
Jesus  of  Nazarelh,  who  was  born  of  the  Virgin 
Mary,  is  the  true  Messiah,  the  very  Christ,  the 
Son  of  the  living  God,  to  whom  all  the  prophets 
gave  witness.  And  we  do  highly  value  his  death, 
sufferings,  works,  offices,  and  merits,  for  the  re- 
demption and  salvation  of  mankind,  together  with 
his  laws,  doctrines,  and  ministry. 

"  2.  That  this  very  Christ  of  God,  was  and  is 
the  Lamb  of  God,  that  takes  away  the  sins  of  the 
world,  who  was  slain,  was  dead,  and  is  alive,  and 
lives  for  evermore,  in  his  divine,  eternal  glory, 
dominion,  and  power,  with  the  Father. 

"  3.  That  the  Holy  Scriptures  of  the  Old  and 
New  Testament,  are  of  divine  authority,  as  being 
given  by  inspiration  from  God. 

"  4.  And  that  magistracy  or  civil  government  is 
God's  ordinance,  the  good  ends  thereof  being  for 
the  punishment  of  evil  doers,  and  praise  of  them 
that  do  well. 

"  And  we  know  of  no  other  doctrine  or  princi- 
ple, preached,  maintained,  or  ever  received  among 
or  by  us,  since  we  were  a  people,  contrary  to  these 
before-mentioned." 

C. 

Of  the  Holy  Spirit  and  his  Work  in  the  Soul  of  Man. 

In  setting  forth  the  belief  of  the  Society,  that 
Christians  are  now  to  be  led  inwardly  and  imme- 
diately by  the  Spirit  of  God,  Robert  Barclay  says : 


HIS  WORK   IN  THE  SOUL  OF   MAN.  71 

"  I  shall  prove  this  by  clivers  arguments,  and 
first  from  the  promise  of  Christ  in  these  words, 
*  And  I  will  pray  the  Father,  and  He  will  give  you 
another  Comforter,  that  He  may  abide  with  you 
forever;  even  the  Spirit  of  Truth,  whom  the  world 
cannot  receive,  because  it  seeth  him  not,  neither 
knoweth  him;  but  ye  know  him,  for  He  dwelleth 
with  you,  and  shall  be  in  you.'  Again,  '  But  the 
Comforter,  which  is  the  Holy  Ghost,  whom  the 
Father  will  send  in  my  name.  He  shall  teach  you 
all  things,  and  bring  all  things  to  your  remem- 
brance.' And  '  Howbeit  when  He,  the  Spirit  of 
Truth  is  come,  He  will  guide  you  into  all  truth : 
for  He  shall  not  speak  of  himself;  but  whatsoever 
He  shall  hear  that  shall  He  speak,  and  He  will 
show  you  things  to  come.' 

"  We  have  here  first,  who  this  is,  and  that  is 
divers  ways  expressed,  to  wit,  The  Comforter, 
the  Spirit  of  Truth,  the  Holy  Ghost,  the  sent  of 
the  Father  in  the  name  of  Christ.  And  hereby  is 
sufficiently  proved  the  unsoundness  of  those  So- 
cinians  and  other  carnal  Christians,  who  neither 
know  nor  acknowledge  any  internal  Spirit  or 
power  but  that  which  is  merely  natural ;  by  which 
they  sufficiently  declare  themselves  to  be  of  the 
world,  who  cannot  receive  the  Spirit,  because  they 
neither  see  him  nor  laiow  him.  Secondly,  "Where 
this  Spirit  is  to  be :  He  dwelleth  with  you,  and 
shall  be  in  you.  And  thirdly,  Wliat  his  work  is  ; 
He  shall  teach  you  all  things,  and  bring  all  things 
to  your  remembrance,  and  guide  you  into  all  truth. 


72  OFTHEHOLYSPIRIT   AND 

"  Secondly,  that  this  Spirit  is  inward,  in  my 
opinion  needs  no  interpretation  or  commentary. 
*  He  dwelleth  with  you,  and  shall  be  in  you.'  Thia 
in-dwelling  of  the  Spirit  in  the  saints,  as  it  is  a 
thing  most  needful  to  be  known  and  believed,  so 
is  it  as  positively  asserted  in  the  Scriptures  as  any 
thing  else  can  be.  '  If  so  be  that  the  Spirit  of  God 
dwell  in  you,'  saith  the  apostle  to  the  Romans. 
And  again,  '  Know  ye  not  that  your  body  is  the 
temple  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  that  the  Spirit  of 
God  dwelleth  in  you  ?  '  Without  this  the  apostle 
reckoneth  no  man  a  Christian.  '  If  any  man,' 
saith  he,  '  have  not  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  he  is  none 
of  his.'  These  words  immediately  follow  those 
above-mentioned  out  of  the  epistle  to  the  Romans, 
'  But  ye  are  not  in  the  flesh,  but  in  the  Spirit,  if  so 
be  the  Spirit  of  God  dwell  in  you.'  The  context 
of  which  showeth  that  the  apostle  reckoneth  it  the 
main  token  of  a  Christian,  both  positively  and 
negatively;  for  in  the  former  verses  he  showeth 
how  the  carnal  mind  is  enmity  against  God,  and 
that  such  as  are  in  the  flesh  cannot  please  him. 
Where  he  adds  concerning  the  Romans,  that  they 
are  not  in  the  flesh,  if  tlie  Spirit  of  God  dwell  in 
them.  What  is  this  but  to  affirm,  that  they  in 
whom  the  Spirit  dwells,  are  no  longer  in  the  flesh, 
nor  of  those  who  please  not  God,  but  are  become 
Christians  indeed  ?  Again,  in  the  next  verse  he 
concludes  negatively,  that  '  If  any  man  have  not 
the  Spirit  of  Christ,  he  is  none  of  his ; '  that  is,  he 


HIS    WORK    IN   THE   SOUL   OF   MAN.  73 

la  p  >  Christian.  He  then  that  acknowledges  him- 
self ignorant  and  a  stranger  to  the  inward  in-being 
of  the  Spirit  of  Christ  in  his  heart,  doth  thereby 
acknowledge  himself  to  be  yet  in  the  carnal  mind, 
^s'hich  is  enmity  to  God ;  to  be  yet  in  the  flesh, 
where  God  cannot  be  pleased ;  and  in  short,  what- 
ever he  may  otherways  know  or  believe  of  Christ, 
or  however  much  skilled  or  acquainted  with  the 
letter  of  the  Holy  Scripture,  not  yet  to  be,  notwith- 
standing all  that,  attained  to  the  least  degree  of  a 
Christian;  yea,  not  once  to  have  embraced  the 
Christian  religion.  For,  take  but  away  the  Spirit, 
and  Christianity  remains  no  more  Christianity, 
than  the  dead  carcase  of  a  man,  when  the  soul  and 
spirit  is  departed,  remains  a  man." 

"  Seeing  '  no  man  knoweth  the  Father  but  the 
Son,  ,';,nd  he  to  whom  the  Son  revealeth  him ; '  and 
seeing  '  the  revelation  of  the  Son  is  in  and  by  the 
Spirit;'  therefore  the  testimony  of  the  Spirit  is 
that  alone  by  which  the  true  knowledge  of  God 
hath  been,  is,  and  can  only  be  revealed.  As,  by 
the  moving  of  his  own  Spirit,  He  disposed  the 
chaos  of  this  Avorld  into  that  wonderful  order  in 
which  it  was  in  the  beginning,  and  created  man  a 
living  soul,  to  rule  and  govern  it,  so,  by  the  reve- 
lation of  the  same  Spirit,  He  hath  manifested 
himself  all  along  unto  the  sons  of  men,  both  patri- 
archs, prophets,  and  apostles;  which  revelations 
of  God  by  the  Spirit,  whether  by  outward  voices 
and    appearances,   dreams,   or    inward    objective 


74  O  P   T  H  E    H  O  L  Y   S  P I  R  1 T   A  N  D 

raauifebtations  in  the  heart,  were  of  old  the  forniaj 
object  of  their  faith,  and  remain  yet  so  to  be; 
since  '  the  object  of  the  saints'  faith  is  the  same  in 
all  ages,  though  held  forth  under  divers  adminis- 
trations.' 

"  Moreover,  these  diNdne  inward  revelations, 
which  we  make  absolutely  necessary  for  the  build- 
ing up  of  true  faith,  neither  do  nor  can  ever  con- 
tradict the  outward  testimony  of  the  Scriptures, 
or  right  and  sound  reason.  Yet  from  hence  it  will 
not  follow,  that  these  divine  revelations  are  to  be 
subjected  to  the  test,  either  of  the  outward  testi- 
mony of  the  Scriptures,  or  of  the  natural  reason 
of  man,  as  to  a  more  noble  or  certain  rule  and 
touchstone.  For  this  divine  revelation  and  in- 
ward illumination  is  that  which  is  evident  and 
clear  of  itself,  forcing,  by  its  own  e\ddence  and 
clearness,  the  well-disposed  understanding  to  as- 
sent, irresistibly  moving  the  same  thereunto,  even 
as  the  common  principles  of  natural  truths  do 
move  and  incline  the  mind  to  a  natural  assent." 

"  "VVe  do  distinguish  betwixt  the  certain  knowl- 
edge of  God,  and  the  uncertain ;  betwixt  the  spir- 
itual knowledge  and  the  literal ;  the  saving  heart- 
knowledge  and  the  soaring  airy  head-knowledge. 
The  last,  we  confess,  may  be  divers  ways  obtained ; 
but  the  first  by  no  other  way  than  the  inward  im- 
mediate manifestation  and  revelation  of  God's 
Spirit,  shining  in  and  upon  the  heart,  enlighten- 
ing and  opening  the  understanding." 


HIS  WORK   IN   THE   SOUL   OP   MAN.         75 

111  reference  to  the  various  outward  sources  of 
knowledge,  he  says :  "  I  would  however  not  be 
understood,  as  if  hereby  I  excluded  those  other 
means  of  knowledge  from  any  use  or  service  to 
man;  it  is  far  from  me  so  to  judge,  as  concerning 
the  Scriptures,  in  the  next  proposition  will  more 
plainly  appear.  The  question  is  not,  what  may  be 
profitable  or  helpful,  but  what  is  absolutely  neces- 
sary. Many  things  may  contribute  to  further  a 
work,  which  yet  are  not  the  main  thing  that  makes 
the  work  go  on." 

Having  laid  down  the  position,  that  the  knowl- 
edge of  the  Father  is  by  and  through  the  Son,  he 
proceeds  to  show  that  the  revelation  of  the  Son  is 
by  the  Spirit.  "  Where  it  is  to  be  noted,"  he  says, 
"  that  I  always  speak  of  the  saving,  certain,  and 
necessary  knowledge  of  God,  which,  that  it  cannot 
be  acquired  otherways  than  by  the  Spirit,  doth 
also  appear  from  many  clear  Scriptures.  For 
Jesus  Christ,  in  and  by  whom  the  Father  is  re- 
vealed, doth  also  reveal  himself  to  his  disciples 
and  friends,  in  and  by  his  Spirit.  As  his  mani- 
festation was  outward  when  He  testified  for  the 
truth  in  this  world,  and  approved  himself  faithful 
throughout;  so  being  now  withdrawn  as  to  the 
out'^ard  man.  He  teaches  and  instructs  mankind 
inwardly  by  his  own  Spirit.  He  standeth  at  the 
door,  and  whoso  heareth  his  voice  and  openeth.  He 
comes  in  to  such.  Of  this  revelation  of  Christ  in 
him,  Paul  speaks,  in  which  he  places  the  excel- 


76  OFTHEHOLYSPIEITAND 

lencj  of  his  ministry,  and  the  certainty  of  his  call- 
ing. And  the  promise  of  Christ  to  his  disciples 
confirms  the  same  thing,  'Lo,  I  am  with  you  alway, 
even  to  the  end  of  the  world; '  for  this  is  an  in- 
ward and  spiritual  presence,  as  all  acknowledge." 
In  outw^ard  and  natural  things,  we  often  rely 
upon  probabilities  and  the  testimony  of  others; 
but  in  matters  which  pertain  to  the  salvation  of 
the  soul,  there  can  be  no  effectual  faith  but  that 
which  is  produced  by  the  immediate  operation  of 
the  Holy  Spirit  in  the  heart,  inclining  and  ena- 
bling us  to  believe  what  it  reveals  to  us  there,  as 
well  as  those  things  which  are  recorded  in  the 
Scriptures  of  Truth.  This  faith  is  not  an  inherent 
principle  or  natural  faculty  of  the  human  mind, 
which  can  be  exercised  when,  and  as  a  man  pleases, 
though  it  will  always  be  given  to  those  who  seek 
it  in  a  humble  and  childlike  spirit,  of  Ilim  who  is 
the  author  and  giver  of  it.  "  Whatsoever  is  born 
of  God,"  saith  the  apostle,  "  overcometh  the  world; 
and  this  is  the  victory  that  overcometh  the  world, 
even  our  faith."  No  faculty  or  principle  natural 
to  the  mind  of  man  can  give -this  victory.  "By 
grace  are  ye  saved  through  faith,  and  that  not  of 
yourselves;  it  is  the  gift  of  God."  This  grace  of 
God  teaches  us  to  deny  all  ungodliness  and  the 
world's  lusts ;  and  where  it  is  received  and  obeyed, 
it  gives  faith  to  believe  that  we  shall  be  strength- 
ened and  enabled  by  it  to  overcome  the  world,  the 
flesh,  and  the  devil.     Thus  we  are  saved  by  the 


FITS  WORK   IN  THE   SOUL   OF   MAN.  77 

grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  through  faith  in 
him ;  and  as  we  continue  to  believe  in  and  follow 
him  to  the  end,  we  shall  know  Him  to  be  the  fin- 
isher, as  well  as  the  author,  of  this  living  victori- 
ous faith. 

"  He  that  belie vetli  on  the  Son  of  God,  hath  the 
witness  in  himself: "  this  witness  is  the  Holy 
Spirit,  by  which  the  Son  of  God  reveals  himself  to 
the  soul,  gives  it  faith  to  believe  in  his  all-power- 
ful name,  and  as  He  is  obeyed  and  followed,  He 
displays  his  almighty  power  and  goodness,  in  par- 
doning its  past  sins,  delivering  it  out  of  the  bond- 
age of  corruption,  and  translating  it  into  the  liberty 
of  the  sons  of  God.  Thus,  Christ  is  experimentally 
known  as  the  Redeemer,  Saviour,  and  Sanctifier 
of  his  people ;  and  those  only  have  a  right  to  call 
Him  80,  whom  He  thus  saves  from  their  sins,  by  his 
own  blessed  Spirit.  "  Wherefore  I  give  you  to 
understand,"  saith  the  apostle,  "  that  no  man 
speaking  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  calleth  Jesus  ac- 
cursed ;  and  that  no  man  can  say  that  Jesus  is  the 
Lord,  but  by  the  Holy  Ghost."  Through  living 
experience  of  his  power,  in  breaking  up  the  strong- 
holds of  sin  and  Satan;  delivering  them  from 
worse  than  Egyptian  boudage  and  darkness,  and 
bringing  them  into  the  marvellous  light  of  the 
Lord,  these  can  truly  say  that  Jesus  is  their  Lord 
and  Saviour;  and  while  they  keep  under  the  gov- 
ernment.  of  his  Spirit,  they  can  never  do  or  say 
anything  that  derogates  from  his  divine  character 

7* 


78  OF  THE   HOLY  SPIRIT  AND 

or   offices,   or  from   tlie   testimony  of  tbe  Hol^ 
Scriptm'es. 

After  stating  tliat  some  persons  confess  that  tho 
Holy  Spirit  now  leads  and  influences  the  saints,  but 
that  He  does  it  only  by  enlightening  their  under- 
standings to  understand  and  believe  the  truths  de- 
livered in  the  Scriptures;  Robert  Barclay  further 
says,  "  This  opinion  is  not  altogether  according  to 
the  truth,  neither  does  it  reach  the  fulness  of  it. 
Because  there  are  many  truths,  which,  as  they  are 
applicable  to  individuals,  and  most  needful  to  be 
known  by  them,  are  in  nowise  to  be  found  in 
the  Scriptures.  Besides,  the  Spirit  not  only  sub- 
jectively helps  us  to  discern  truths  elsewhere  de- 
livered, but  also  objectively  presents  those  truths 
to  the  mind.  For  that  which  teaches  me  all 
things,  and  is  given  me  for  that  end,  without 
doubt  presents  those  things  to  my  mind  which 
it  teaches  me.  It  is  not  said,  it  shall  teach  you 
how  to  understand  those  things  that  are  written 
[merely] ;  but  it  shall  teach  you  all  things.  Again, 
that  which  brings  all  things  to  my  remembrance 
must  needs  present  them  by  way  of  object." 
This  is  also  evident  from  the  nature  of  the  I^ew 
Covenant,  which  is  expressed  in  divers  places. 
"  As  for  me,  this  is  my  covenant  with  them,  saith 
the  Lord;  my  Spirit  that  is  upon  thee,  and  my 
words  which  I  have  put  in  thy  mouth,  shall 
not  depart  out  of  thy  mouth,  nor  out  of  the 
mouth  of  thy   seed,  nor   out   of  the   mouth   of 


HIS   WORK   IN  THE  SOUL  OF   MAN.  79 

thy  seed's  seed,  saitli  the  Lord,  from  henceforth 
and  forever."  —  "The  perpetuity  of  this  promise  is 
fully  expressed ;  and  it  was  immediate,  for  there  is 
no  men'tion  made  of  any  medium.  He  says  not,  I 
shall  hy  means  of  such  writings  or  books  convey 
such  words  into  your  mouths;  but  my  words,  I, 
even  I,  saith  the  Lord,  have  put  into  your  mouths. 
This  must  be  objectively,  for  the  words  put  into 
the  mouth  are  the  object  presented  by  him.  He 
says  not,  the  words  which  ye  shall  see  written,  my 
Spirit  shall  only  enlighten  your  understandings  to 
assent  unto;  but  positively,  my  words  which  I 
have  put  into  thy  mouth :  therefore  upon  whom- 
soever the  Spirit  remaineth  always,  and  putteth 
words  into  his  mouth,  him  doth  the  Spirit  teach 
immediately,  objectively,  and  continually." 

"  The  nature  of  the  New  Covenant  is  yet  more 
amply  expressed  in  Jeremiah,  and  repeated  by  the 
apostle  in  these  words ;  '  For  this  is  the  covenant 
that  I  will  make  with  the  house  of  Israel ;  after 
those  days,  saith  the  Lord,  I  will  put  my  laws  into 
their  mind,  and  write  them  in  their  hearts,  and  I 
will  be  to  them  a  God,  and  they  shall  be  to  me  a 
people.  And  they  shall  not  teach  every  man  his 
neighbour,  and  every  man  his  brother,  saying, 
know  the  Lord ;  for  they  shall  all  know  me,  from 
the  least  to  the  greatest.'  The  object  here  is  God's 
law  placed  in  the  heart  and  written  in  the  mind ; 
from  whence  they  become  God's  people,  and  are 
brought  truly  to  know  him.     In  this  then  the  law 


80  OF   THE    HOLY   SPIRIT   AND 

is  distinguished  from  the  gospel :  the  law  before 
was  outward,  written  in  tables  of  stone,  but  it  is 
now  inward,  written  in  the  heart.  Of  old,  the 
people  depended  upon  their  priests  for  the  knowl- 
edge of  God ;  but  now  they  all  have  a  certain  and 
sensible  knowledge  of  him.  How  much  then  are 
they  deceived,  who,  instead  of  making  the  gospel 
preferable  to  the  law,  have  made  the  condition  of 
such  as  are  under  the  gospel  far  worse.  For  no 
doubt  it  is  a  fjir  better  and  more  desirable  thing  to 
converse  with  God  immediately,  than  only  medi- 
ately, as  being  a  higher  and  more  glorious  dispen- 
sation ;  and  yet  these  men  acknowledged  that 
many  under  the  law  had  immediate  converse  with 
God,  whereas  they  now  cry  that  it  is  ceased." 

"  Under  the  law  there  was  the  holy  of  holies, 
into  which  the  high-priest  entered,  and  received 
the  word  of  the  Lord  immediately  from  betmxt 
the  cherubim;  so  that  the  people  could  then  cer- 
tainly know  the  mind  of  the  Lord :  but  now,  ac- 
cording to  these  men's  judgment,  we  are  in  a  far 
worse  condition ;  having  nothing  but  the  outward 
letter  of  the  Scriptures  to  guess  and  divine  from. 
But  Jesus  Chi-ist  hath  promised  us  better  things, 
though  many  are  so  unwise  as  not  to  believe  him, 
even  to  guide  us  by  his  own  unerring  Spirit;  and 
He  hath  rent  and  removed  the  veil,  whereby  not 
only  one,  and  that  once  a  year,  may  enter;  but  all 
of  us,  at  all  times,  have  access  unto  him  as  often 
as  we  draw  near  unto  him  with  pure  hearts.     He 


HIS   WORK   IN  THE   SOUL   OF   MAN.  81 

reveals  liis  will  unto  us  by  his  Spirit,  and  writes 
his  law  in  our  hearts.  And  where  the  knowledge 
of  God  is  put  into  the  mind  and  written  in  the 
heart,  there  the  object  of  faith  and  revelation  of 
the  knowledge  of  God  is  inward,  immediate,  and 
objective;  and  this  is  the  situation  of  every  tru( 
Christian  under  the  l^ew  Covenant." 

In  replying  to  the  objection,  that  if  men  be  now 
immediately  led  and  ruled  by  the  Spirit  of  God, 
they  may  add  new  Scriptures  of  equal  authority 
with  the  Bible,  and  that  every  one  may  bring  in  a 
new  gospel  according  to  his  fancy,  Robert  Bar- 
clay observes,  "  ^V^e  have  shut  the  door  upon  all 
such  doctrine,  affirming  that  the  Scriptures  give  a 
full  and  ample  testimony  to  all  the  principal  doc- 
trines of  the  Christian  faith.  For  we  do  firmly 
believe  that  there  is  no  other  gospel  or  doctrine 
to  be  preached,  but  that  which  was  delivered  by 
the  apostles ;  and  do  freely  subscribe  to  that  saying, 
Let  him  that  preacheth  any  other  gospel  than  that 
which  has  been  already  preached  by  the  apostles, 
and  according  to  the  Scriptures,  be  accursed.  So 
we  distinguish  between  a  revelation  of  a  new  gos- 
pel and  new  doctrines,  and  a  new  revelation  of  the 
good  old  gospel  and  doctrines ;  the  last  we  plead 
for,  but  the  first  we  utterly  deny.  For  we  firmly 
believe  that  no  other  foundation  can  any  man  lay 
than  that  which  is  laid  already." 

William  Penn,  in  writing  on  the  same  subject, 
says :  "  By  revelation  we  understand  the  discovery 


82  OF  THE   HOLY  SPIRIT,  ETC. 

and  illuniiuation  of  the  Liglit  and  Spirit  of  God, 
relating  to  those  things  that  properly  and  immedi- 
ately concern  the  daily  information  and  satisfaction 
of  our  souls,  in  the  way  of  our  duty  to  him  and 
our  neighbor.  We  renounce  all  fantastical  and 
whimsical  intoxications,  or  any  pretence  to  the 
revelation  of  new  matter,  in  oj)position  to  the  an- 
cient gospel  declared  by  Christ  Jesus  and  his 
apostles;  and  therefore  not  the  revelation  of  new 
things,  but  the  renewed  revelation  of  the  eternal 
way  of  truth." 

Wliatsoever  is  excellent,  whatsoever  is  noble, 
whatsoever  is  worthy,  whatsoever  is  desirable  in 
the  Christian  faith  is  ascribed  to  the  Spirit.  To 
this,  true  Christians  in  all  ages  attribute  their 
strength  and  life  :  by  it  they  declare  themselves  to 
be  illuminated,  converted,  regenerated  and  re- 
deemed from  the  world.  By  it  they  are  strength- 
ened in  weakness,  comforted  in  affliction,  armed 
against  temptation,  fortified  against  suiFeriugs,  en- 
abled to  triumph  over  their  persecutors,  and  to 
hold  communion  with  God.  It  is  the  Spirit  that 
quickeneth ;  it  was  the  Spirit  that  gave  them  utter- 
ance; it  was  the  Spirit  by  which  Stephen  spake, 
so  that  the  Jews  were  not  able  to  resist.  It  is  such 
as  walk  after  the  Spirit  that  receive  no  condemna- 
tion, for  the  law  of  the  Spirit  of  life  in  Christ 
Jesus  makes  them  free  from  the  law  of  sin  and 
death ;  and  it  is  by  the  Spirit  of  God  dwelling  in 
as  that  we  are  redeemed  from  the  carnal  mind. 


OP  THE  HOLY  SCRIPTURES.  83 

It  is  the  Spirit  of  Christ  dwelling  in  us  that  quick- 
enetli  our  mortal  bodies ;  it  is  through  the  Spirit 
that  the  deeds  of  the  body  are  mortified,  and  life 
obtained. 

It  is  by  the  Spirit  that  we  are  adopted,  and  cry 
Abba,  Father ;  for  it  is  the  Spirit  that  beareth  wit- 
ness with  our  spirits  that  we  are  the  children  of 
God. 

It  is  the  Spirit  that  helpeth  our  infirmities,  and 
maketh  intercession  for  us  with  groanings  which 
cannot  be  uttered ;  and  it  is  by  the  Spirit  that  the 
glorious  things  which  God  hath  laid  up  for  the 
righteous,  which  neither  outward  ear  hath  heard, 
nor  outward  eye  seen,  nor  the  heart  of  man  con- 
ceived by  all  his  reasonings,  are  revealed  unto  us. 
It  is  by  this  Spirit  that  wisdom,  knowledge,  faith, 
tongues,  prophecies,  are  imparted  to  man,  and  it 
is  by  it  that  we  are  all  baptized  into  one  body,  and 
made  to  drink  into  one  cup.  In  a  word,  there  is 
nothing  relating  to  the  salvation  of  the  soul,  that 
can  be  rightly  performed  or  eflfectually  obtained, 
without  it. 

D. 

Of  the  Holy  Scriptures. 

George  Fox,  in  his  letter  to  the  governor  and 
council  of  Barbadoes,  speaking  in  the  name  of  the 
Sot;ietj  of  Friends,  says : 

"  Concerning  the  Holy  Scriptures:  We  believe 
they  were  given  forth  by  the  Holy  Spirit  of  God, 


84  OF   THE   HOLY   SCRIPTURES. 

through  the  holy  men  of  God,  who,  as  the  Scrip 
ture  itself  declares,  2  Pet.  i.  21,  spoke  as  they  were 
moved  hy  the  Holy  Ghost.  We  helieve  they  are 
to  be  read,  believed,  and  fulfilled,  (he  that  fulfils 
them  is  Christ,)  and  they  are  profitable  for  doc- 
trine, for  reproof,  for  correction,  and  for  instruc- 
tion in  righteousness,  that  the  man  of  God  may  be 
perfect,  thoroughly  furnished  unto  all  good  works, 
2  Tim.  iii.  19,  and  are  able  to  make  wise  unto  sal- 
vation, through  faith  in  Christ  Jesus. 

"  "We  believe  the  Holy  Scriptures  are  the  words 
of  God,  for  it  is  said  in  Exodus  xx.  1,  '  God  spake 
all  these  words,  saying,'  &c.,  meaning  the  ten  com- 
mandments given  forth  upon  Mount  Sinai.  And 
in  Rev.  xxii.  18,  saith  John,  '  I  testify  to  every 
man  that  heareth  the  words  of  the  prophecy  of  this 
book,  if  any  man  addeth  unto  these,  and  if  any 
man  shall  take  away  from  the  words  of  the  book 
of  this  prophecy,  (not  the  Word,)  &c.'  So  in  Luke 
i.  20,  '  Because  thou  believest  not  my  words; '  and 
in  John  v.  47,  xv.  7,  xiv.  23,  xii.  47.  So  that  we 
call  the  Holy  Scriptures,  as  Christ,  the  apostles 
and  holy  men  of  God  called  them,  viz.,  the  words 
of  God." 

Robert  Barclay  has  these  observations,  viz. : 
"  Though  then  we  do  acknowledge  the  Scriptures 
to  be  very  heavenly  and  divine  writings,  and  the 
use  of  them  to  be  very  comfortable  and  necessary 
to  the  church  of  Christ;  and  admire,  and  give 
praises  to  the  Lord  for  his  wonderful  providence 


OF  THE   HOLY  SCRIPTURES.  85 

m  preserving  these  writings  so  pure  and  uncor- 
rupted  as  we  have  tliem,  through  so  long  a  night 
of  apostasy,  to  be  a  testimony  of  his  truth  against 
the  wickedness  and  abominations  even  of  those 
whom  He  made  instrumental  in  preserving  them, 
so  that  they  have  kept  them  to  be  a  witness  against 
themselves;  yet  we  may  not  call  them  the  princi- 
pal Fountain  of  all  truth  and  knowledge,  nor  yet 
the  first  adequate  rule  of  faith  and  manners,  be- 
cause the  principal  Fountain  of  truth  must  be  the 
Truth  itself,  whose  certainty  and  authority  depend 
not  upon  another. 

"If  by  the  Spirit  we  can  only  come  to  the  true 
knowledge  of  God ;  if  by  the  Spirit  we  are  to  be 
led  into  all  truth,  and  so  be  taught  of  all  things; 
then  the  Spirit,  and  not  the  Scriptures,  is  the 
foundation  and  ground  of  all  truth  and  knowl- 
edge, and  the  primary  rule  of  faith  and  manners. 
The  very  nature  of  the  gospel  declareth  that  the 
Scriptures  cannot  be  the  only  and  chief  rule  of 
Christians,  else  there  would  be  no  difference  be- 
tween the  law  and  the  gospel." 

"  There  are  numberless  things,  with  regard  to 
their  circumstances,  which  particular  Christians 
may  be  concerned  in,  for  which  there  can  be  no 
particular  rule  had  in  the  Scriptures;  therefore  the 
Scriptures  cannot  be  a  rule  to  them  [in  those 
things].  As  for  instance,  some  are  called  to  the 
ministry  of  the  word  :  Paul  says  there  was  a  ne- 
cessity laid  upon  him   to  preach  the  gospel,  and 


86  OF  THE   HOLY  SCEIPTUREy. 

woe  is  unto  me  if  I  preach  it  not.  If  it  be  neces- 
sary tliat  there  be  now  ministers  of  the  church  as 
well  as  then,  there  is  the  same  necessity  upon 
some  more  than  upon  others  to  occupy  this  place ; 
which  necessity,  as  it  may  be  incumbent  upon 
some  particular  persons,  the  Scriptures  neither 
doth  nor  can  declare. 

"  If  it  be  said  the  qualifications  of  a  minister  are 
found  in  the  Scriptures,  and  by  applying  these 
qualifications  to  myself  I  may  know  whether  I  be 
fit  for  such  a  place  or  not,  I  answer :  The  qualifi- 
cations of  a  bishop  or  minister,  as  they  are  men- 
tioned both  in  the  Epistle  to  Timothj^  and  that  to 
Titus,  are  such  as  may  be  found  in  a  private  Chris- 
tian, yea,  which  ought  in  some  measure  to  be  in 
every  true  Christian  ;  so  that  this  giveth  a  man  no 
certainty.  Every  capacity  to  an  office  gives  me 
not  a  sufficient  call  to  it.  Again ;  by  what  rule 
shall  I  judge  if  I  be  so  qualified  ?  How  do  I  know 
that  I  am  sober,  meek,  holy,  harmless  ?  Is  it  not 
the  testimony  of  the  Spirit  in  my  conscience  that 
must  assure  hereof? 

"  And  suppose  I  was  qualified  and  called,  yet 
what  Scripture  rale  shall  inform  me  whether  it 
be  my  duty  to  preach  in  this  or  in  that  place, 
in  France  or  England,  Holland  or  Germany? 
Whether  I  shall  take  up  my  time  in  confirming 
the  faithful,  reclaiming  heretics,  or  converting  in- 
fidels, or  in  writing  epistles  to  this  or  that  church  ? 
The  general  rules  of  the  Scriptures  to  be  diligent 


OF  THE   HOLY  SCRIPTUEES.  87 

in  mj  duty ;  to  do  all  to  the  glory  of  God,  and  for 
the  good  of  his  church ;  can  give  rne  no  light  in 
this  thing ;  seeing  two  diifcrent  things  may  both 
have  a  respect  to  that  waj^ ;  yet  I  may  commit  a 
great  error  and  offence  in  doing  the  one,  Avhen  I 
am  called  to  the  other.  If  Paul,  when  his  face 
was  turned  by  the  Lord  toward  Jerusalem,  had 
gone  back  to  Achaia  or  Macedonia,  he  might 
ha^;e  supposed  he  could  have  done  God  more  ac- 
ceptable service  in  preaching  and  confirming  the 
churches,  than  in  being  shut  up  in  prison  in 
Judea;  but  would  God  have  been  pleased  here- 
with? I^ay,  certainly.  Obedience  is  better  than 
sacrifice,  and  it  is  not  our  doing  that  which  is  good 
simply,  that  pleaseth  God,  but  that  good  which  He 
willcth  us  to  do. 

"  Moreover,  that  which,  of  all  things,  is  most 
needful  for  a  Christian  to  know,  viz. :  whether  he 
reall}'  be  in  the  faith  and  an  heir  of  salvation  or 
not,  the  Scripture  can  give  him  no  certainty  in, 
neither  can  it  be  a  rule  to  him.  That  this  knowl- 
edge is  exceedingly  desirable  and  comfortable,  all 
do  unanimously  acknowledge ;  besides,  it  is  espe- 
cially commanded,  '  Examine  yourselves  whether 
ye  be  in  the  faith ;  prove  your  own  selves.  Know 
ye  not  your  own  selves,  how  that  Jesus  Christ  is  in 
you,  except  ye  be  reprobates ! '  '  Wherefore  the 
rather,  brethren,  give  all  diligence  to  make  your 
calling  and  election  sure.'    Now  I  say,  what  Scrip- 


S8  OF  THE   HOLY  SCRIPTURES. 

ture  rule  can  assure  me  that  I  have  true  faith,  and 
that  my  calling  and  election  are  sure  ?  " 

After  examining  various  suggestions,  he  says : 
"  Moreover,  the  Scripture  itself,  wherein  we  are 
BO  earnestly  pressed  to  seek  this  assurance,  does 
not  at  all  affirm  itself  a  rule  sufficient  to  give  it, 
but  wholly  ascribeth  it  to  the  Spirit.  '  The  Spirit 
itself  heareth  witness  with  our  spirit  that  we  are 
the  children  of  God.'  '  Hereby  know  we  that  we 
dwell  in  Him,  and  He  in  us,  because  He  hath 
given  us  of  his  Spirit.'  '  And  it  is  the  Spirit  that 
beareth  witness,  because  the  Spirit  is  truth.'  " 

"If  it  then  be  asked  whether  I  think  hereby  to 
render  the  Scriptures  altogether  uncertain  and 
useless,  I  answer  not  at  all :  Provided,  that  to  the 
Spirit,  from  which  they  came,  be  granted  that 
place  which  the  Scriptures  themselves  give  it,  I  do 
freely  concede  to  the  Scriptures  the  second  place, 
even  whatsoever  they  say  of  themselves;  which 
the  Apostle  Paul  chiefly  mentions  in  two  places, 
viz. :  '  Wliatsoever  things  were  written  aforetime, 
were  written  for  our  learning,  that  we  through 
patience  and  comfort  of  the  Scriptures  might  have 
hope.'  '  The  Holy  Scriptures  are  able  to  make 
wise  unto  salvation,  through  faith  which  is  in 
Christ  Jesus.  All  Scripture  is  given  by  inspira- 
tion of  God,  and  is  profitable  for  doctrine,  for  re- 
proof, for  correction,  for  instruction  in  righteous 
ness,  that  the  man  of  God  may  be  perfect,  thor 
oughly  furnished  unto  all  good  works.'  " 


OF  THE   HOLY  SCRIPTUEES.  89 

William  Penn,  in  his  "  Testimony  to  the  Truth," 
Bays :  "  Concerning  the  Holy  Scriptures.  Because 
we  assert  the  Holy  Spirit  to  be  the  first,  great,  and 
general  rule  and  guide  of  true  Christians,  as  that 
by  which  God  is  worshipped,  sin  detected,  con- 
science convicted,  duty  manifested,  Scripture  un- 
folded and  explained ;  and  consequently  the  rule 
for  understanding  the  Scriptures  themselves,  since 
by  it  they  were  at  first  given  forth ;  from  hence 
our  adversaries  are  pleased  to  make  us  blasphemers 
of  the  Holy  Scriptures,  undervaluing  their  au- 
thority, preferring  our  own  books  before  them, 
with  more  to  that  purpose.  Whereas,  we  in  truth 
and  sincerity  believe  them  to  be  of  divine  authority, 
given  by  the  inspiration  of  God,  through  holy 
men,  they  speaking  or  writing  them  as  they  were 
moved  by  the  Holy  Ghost :  that  they  are  a  decla- 
ration of  those  things  most  surely  believed  by  the 
primitive  Christians,  and  that,  as  they  contain  the 
mind  and  will  of  God,  and  are  his  commands  to 
us,  so  they  in  that  respect  are  his  declaratory  word; 
and  therefore  are  obligatory  on  us,  and  are  profit- 
able for  doctrine,  reproof,  correction,  and  instruc- 
tion in  righteousness,  that  the  man  of  God  may  be 
perfect,  and  thoroughly  furnished  to  every  good 
work. 

"Nay,  after  all,  so  unjust  is  the  charge,  and  so 
remote  from  our  belief  concerning  the  Holy  Scrip- 
tures, that  we  both  love,  honour,  and  prefer  them 
before  all  books  in  the  world ;  ever  choosin  g  to  ex- 

8* 


30  OF  THE   HOLY  SCRIPTURES. 

press  our  belief  of  the  Christian  feith  and  doc- 
trine, in  the  terms  thereof,  and  rejecting  all  prin- 
ciples  or  doctrines  whatsoever,  that  are  repugnact 
thereunto." 

Richard  Claridge,  writing  on  behalf  of  the 
Society,  says :  "  We  do  sincerely  and  unfeignedly 
believe  the  following  propositions : 

"  1.  That  the  Holy  Scriptures  of  the  Old  and 
New  Testament  were  not  of  any  men's  private 
setting  forth,  but  were  given  by  inspiration  of  God. 

"  2.  That  they  do  contain  a  clear  and  sufficient 
declaration  of  all  doctrines,  in  common  to  be  be- 
lieved, in  order  to  eternal  life  and  salvation. 

"  3.  That  the  Holy  Scriptures  are  the  best  out- 
ward rule  and  standard  of  doctrine  and  practice. 

"  4.  That  whatsoever,  either  doctrine  or  practice, 
though  under  pretensions  to  the  immediate  dic- 
tates and  teachings  of  the  Spirit,  is  contrary  to  the 
Holy  Scriptures,  ought  to  be  rejected  and  dis- 
owned, as  false  and  erroneous:  for  '  whatsoever  is 
not  read  therein,  nor  may  be  proved  thereby,  is 
not  to  be  required  of  any  man,  that  it  should  be 
believed  as  an  article  of  faith.' 

"  5.  That  the  Holy  Scriptures  contain  the  say- 
ings or  words  of  God,  are  divine  writings,  which 
claim  the  precedency  of  all  others;  and  we  do 
esteem  them  as  such  ourselves,  and  under  this 
character  recommend  them  to  others. 

"  6.  That  there  ever  was,  and  is,  a  most  sweet 
concord  and  harmony  between  the  teachings  of 


OF  THE   HOLY  SCRIPTURES.  91 

the  Spirit  and  the  testimony  of  the  Holy  Scrip- 
tures ;  and  that  there  is  no  inconsistency  or  contra- 
diction between  the  one  and  the  other,  notwith- 
standing that  great  diversity  of  men's  opinions  and 
sentiments,  under  the  profession  of  Christianity." 

The  Disciphne  of  the  Society  also  contains  the 
following  advice,  viz. :  "  We  tenderly  and  earn- 
estly advise  and  exhort  all  parents  and  heads  of 
families,  that  they  endeavour  to  instruct  their 
children  and  families  in  the  doctrines  and  precepts 
of  the  Christian  religion,  as  contained  in  the  Holy 
Scriptures ;  and  that  they  incite  them  to  the  dili- 
gent reading  of  those  excellent  writings,  which 
plainly  set  forth  the  miraculous  conception,  birth, 
holy  life,  wonderful  works,  blessed  example,  meri- 
torious death  and  glorious  resurrection,  ascension, 
and  mediation  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus 
Christ;  and  to  educate  their  children  in  the  belief 
of  these  important  truths,  as  well  as  in  the  belief 
of  the  inward  manifestation  and  operation  of  the 
Holy  Spirit  on  their  own  minds;  that  they  may 
reap  the  benefit  and  advantage  thereof,  for  their 
own  peace  and  everlasting  happiness,  which  is  in- 
finitely jDreferable  to  all  other  considerations." 

Every  year  each  Monthly  Meeting  is  required  to 
prepare  answers  to  certain  queries  respecting  its  con- 
dition. These  answers  are  sent  through  the  Quar- 
terly Meetings  up  to  the  Yearly  Meeting ;  in  order 
that  this  body  may  be  made  acquainted  with  the 
Btate  of  its  subordinate  branches.     One  of  thiise 


92      OF   REDEMPTION   BY  JESUS  CHRIST. 

queries  asks,  whether  Friends  are  careful  to  bring 
up  tlieir  children  and  those  under  their  direction 
in  frequently  reading  the  Holy  Scriptures,  and  to 
be  good  examples  themselves  in  this  respect. 

E. 

Of  Bcdempthn  by  Jesus  Christ. 

God,  out  of  his  infinite  love,  who  delighteth  not 
in  the  death  of  a  sinner,  but  that  all  should  live 
and  be  saved,  hath  so  loved  the  world,-that  He  hath 
given  his  only  Son,  a  Light,  that  whosoever  be- 
lieveth  in  Him  shall  be  saved,  John  iii.  16,  who 
enlighteneth  every  man  that  cometh  into  the  world, 
John  i.  9,  and  maketh  manifest  all  things  that  are 
reprovable,  Eph.  v.  13,  and  teacheth  all,  temper- 
ance, righteousness,  and  godliness.  This  Light 
enlighteneth  the  hearts  of  all  for  a  time,  in  order  to 
salvation;  and  it  is  this  which  reproves  the  sin  of 
all  individuals,  and  would  work  out  the  salvation 
of  all,  if  not  resisted.  l^Tor  is  it  less  universal  than 
the  seed  of  sin,  being  the  purchase  of  his  death, 
who  tasted  death  for  every  man ;  for  as  in  Adam 
all  die,  even  so  in  Christ  all  shall  be  made  alive,  1 
Cor.  XV.  22. 

"  This  most  certain  doctrine  being  received,  that 
there  is  an  evangelical  and  saving  light  and  grace 
in  all,  the  universality  of  the  love  and  mercy  of 
God  toward  mankind,  both  in  the  death  of  his  be- 
loved Son  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  in  the  niani 


OF    REDEMPnON    BY   JESUS   CHRIST.       9S 

festation  of  his  light  in  the  heart,  is  established 
and  confirmed,  against  all  the  objections  of  such  as 
deny  it.  Therefore  Christ  hath  tasted  death  for 
every  man ;  not  only  for  all  kinds  of  men,  as  some 
vainly  talk,  but  for  every  man  of  all  kinds :  the 
benefit  of  vidiose  oftering  is  not  only  extended  tc 
such  who  have  the  distinct  outward  knowledge  of 
his  death  and  sufferings,  as  the  same  is  declared  in 
the  iScriptures,  but  even  unto  those  who  are  neces- 
sarily excluded  from  the  benefit  of  this  knowledge 
by  some  inevitable  accident. 

"  This  knowledge  we  Avillingly  confess  to  be 
very  profitable  and  comfortable,  but  not  absolutely 
needful  unto  such  from  whom  God  himself  hath 
withheld  it ;  yet  they  may  be  made  partakers  of 
the  mystery  of  his  death,  though  ignorant  of  the 
history,  if  they  suffer  his  seed  and  light,  enlight- 
ening their  hearts,  to  take  place,  (in  which  light, 
communion  with  the  Father  and  the  Son  is  en- 
joyed,) so  as  of  wicked  men  to  become  holy,  and 
lovers  of  that  power,  b}^  whose  inward  and  secret 
touches  they  feel  themselves  turned  from  the  evil 
to  the  good,  and  learn  to  do  to  others  as  they  would 
be  done  by,  in  which  Christ  himself  affirms  all  to 
be  included.  As  they  then  have  falsely  and  erro- 
neously taught,  who  have  denied  Christ  to  have 
died  for  all  men ;  so  neither  have  they  sufficiently 
taught  the  truth,  who,  affirming  Him  to  have  died 
for  all,  have  added  the  absolute  necessity  of  the 
outward  knowledge  thereof,  in  order  to  obtain  its 
saving  effect." 


94      OF    REDEMPTION    BY   JESUS   CHRIST. 

After  declaring  that  God,  in  his  love  and  mercy, 
grants  to  every  man  a  day  or  time  of  ^dsitation, 
during  which  the  light  or  Spirit  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  strives  with  him,  showing  him  his  lost  and 
undone  condition  by  nature,  and  inviting  him,  by 
submission  to  its  operation,  to  come  and  be  saved, 
R.  Barclay  further  says  : 

"  By  this  day  and  time  of  visitation,  which  we 
say  God  gives  unto  all,  during  which  they  may  be 
saved,  we  do  not  understand  the  whole  time  of 
every  man's  life ;  though  to  some  it  may  be  ex- 
tended even  to  the  very  hour  of  death,  as  we  see 
in  the  example  of  the  thief  converted  upon  the 
cross :  but  such  a  season  at  least  as  sufficiently  ex- 
onerates God  to  every  man's  condemnation,  which 
to  some  may  be  sooner,  and  to  others  later,  accord- 
ing as  the  Lord  in  his  wisdom  sees  meet.  So  that 
many  men  may  outlive  this  day,  after  which  there 
may  be  no  possibility  of  salvation  to  them,  and 
God  justly  suffers  them  to  be  hardened,  as  a  just 
punishment  of  their  unbelief,  and  even  raises  them 
up  as  instruments  of  wrath,  and  makes  them  a 
scourge  one  to  another. 

"  To  men  in  this  condition  may  be  fitly  applied 
those  Scriptures  which  are  abused  to  prove  that 
God  incites  men  necessarily  to  sin.  This  is  ex- 
pressed by  the  apostle,  Rom.  i.  from  verse  17  to 
the  end,  but  especially  verse  28.  'And  even  as 
they  did  not  like  to  retain  God  in  their  knowledge, 
God  gave  them  over  to  a  reprobate  mind,  to  do 


OF    KEDEMPTIOX    BY   JESUS   CHRIST.       95 

those  things  which  are  not  convenient.'  That  men 
may  outlive  this  day  of  God's  gracious  visitation 
unto  them,  is  shown  by  the  example  of  Esau,  who 
sold  his  birthright.  So  he  had  it  once,  and  was 
capable  to  have  kept  it ;  but  afterwards,  when  he 
would  have  inherited  the  blessing,  he  was  rejected. 
This  appears  also  by  Christ's  weeping  over  Jeru- 
salem, saying,  '  If  thou  hadst  known  in  this  thy 
day  the  things  that  belong  unto  thy  peace;  but 
now  they  are  hid  from  thine  eyes.'  Which  plainly 
imports  a  time  when  they  might  have  known 
them,  which  now  was  removed  from  them,  though 
they  were  yet  alive." 

After  speaking  of  the  Holy  Spirit  of  Christ, 
wherewith  all  inen  are  enlightened  for  their  re- 
demption and  salvation,  he  adds: 

"  AVe  do  not  understand  this  divine  principle  to 
be  any  part  of  man's  nature,  nor  yet  to  be  any  relic 
of  any  good  which  Adam  lost  by  his  fall,  in  that 
we  make  it  a  distinct  and  separate  thing  from 
man's  soul  and  all  the  faculties  of  it.  There  are 
some  that  lean  to  the  doctrine  of  Socinus  or  Pela- 
gius,  who  persuade  themselves  through  mistake, 
as  if  this  divine  light  which  we  preach  up  were 
some  natural  power  or  faculty  of  the  soul,  and 
that  we  only  differ  from  them  in  the  wording  of  it, 
and  not  in  the  thing  itself.  Whereas  there  can  be 
no  greater  difference  than  is  betwixt  us  in  that 
matter :  for  we  certainly  know  that  this  light  of 
which  we  speak,  is  not  only  distinct,  but  of  a  dif- 


96      OF   REDEMPTION    BY   JESUS   CHRIST. 

ferent  nature,  from  the  soul  of  man  and  its  facul- 
ties." 

"  By  this,  as  we  do  not  at  all  intend  to  equal 
ourselves  to  that  holy  Man,  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
who  was  born  of  the  virgin  Marj^  in  whom  all  the 
fulness  of  the  Godhead  dwelt  bodily ;  so  neither  do 
we  destroy  the  reality  of  his  present  existence,  as 
some  have  falsely  calumniated  us.  For  though  we 
affirm  that  Christ  dwells  in  us,  yet  not  immedi- 
ately, but  mediately,  as  He  is  in  that  seed  which  is 
in  us;  whereas  He,  to  wit,  the  Eternal  Word, 
which  was  with  God,  and  was  God,  dwelt  immedi- 
ately in  that  holy  Man.  He  then  is  as  the  head, 
and  we  as  the  members;  He  the  vine,  and  we  the 
branches.  Now  as  the  soul  of  man  dwells  other- 
wise, and  in  a  far  more  immediate  manner  in  the 
head  and  in  the  heart,  than  in  the  hands  or  legs; 
and  as  the  sap,  virtue,  and  life  of  the  vine  lodgeih 
far  otherwise  in  the  stock  and  root,  than  in  the 
branches,  so  God  dwelleth  otherwise  in  the  man 
Jesus  than  in  us.  We  also  freely  reject  the  heresy 
of  AppoUinarius,  who  denied  him  to  have  any  soul, 
but  said  the  body  was  only  actuated  by  the  God- 
head. As  also  the  error  of  Eutyches,  who  made 
the  manhood  to  be  wholly  swallowed  up  of  the 
Godhead.  Wherefore,  as  we  believe  He  was  a 
true  and  real  man,  so  we  also  believe  that  He  con- 
tinues so  to  be  glorified  in  the  heavens,  in  soul  and 
body,  by  whom  God  shall  judge  the  world  in  the 
jrreat  and  general  day  of  judgment." 


OF    REDEMPTION    BY    JESUS   CHRIST.       97 

After  largely  enforcing  tlie  sufficiency  of  the 
Holy  Spirit  of  Christ,  and  the  necessity  of  obedi- 
ence thereto  in  order  to  salvation,  he  writes  thus, 
viz. : 

"  We  do  not  hereby  intend,  any  ways,  to  lessen 
or  derogate  from  the  atonement  and  sacrifice  of 
Jesus  Christ;  but,  on  the  contrary,  do  magnify 
and  exalt  it.  For  as  we  believe  all  those  things  to 
have  been  certainly  transacted,  which  are  recorded 
in  the  Holy  Scriptures,  concerning  the  birth,  life, 
miracles,  sufferings,  resurrection,  and  ascension  of 
Christ ;  so  we  do  also  believe,  that  it  is  the  duty 
of  every  one  to  believe  it,  to  whom  it  pleases  God 
to  reveal  the  same,  and  to  bring  to  them  the 
knowledge  of  it;  yea,  we  believe  it  were  damna- 
ble unbelief,  not  to  believe  it,  when  so  declared ; 
but  to  resist  that  holy  seed,  which  as  minded 
would  lead  and  incline  every  one  to  believe  it,  as 
it  is  ofi'ered  unto  them;  though  it  revealeth  not  in 
every  one,  the  outward  and  explicit  knowledge  of 
it,  nevertheless  it  always  assenteth  to  it,  where  it 
is  declared. 

"As  we  firmly  believe  it  was  necessary,  that 
Christ  should  come,  that  by  his  death  and  suffer- 
ings He  might  offer  up  himself  a  sacrifice  to  God 
for  our  sins,  who  his  own  self  bare  our  sins  in  his 
own  body  on  the  tree,  so  we  believe  that  the  remis- 
sion of  sins  which  any  partake  of,  is  only  in  and  by 
virtue  of  that  most  satisfactory  sacrifice,  and  no 
otherwise.     For  it  is  by  the  obedien(  e  of  that  one 


98      OF   REDEMPTION   BY   JESUS   CHRIST. 

that  the  free  gift  is  come  upon  all,  to  justificar 
tion. 

"  We  renounce  all  natural  power  and  ability  in 
ourselves,  in  order  to  bring  us  out  of  our  lost  and 
fallen  condition,  and  first  nature ;  and  confess,  that 
as  of  ourselves  we  are  able  to  do  nothing  that  is 
good,  so  neither  can  we  procure  remission  of  sins 
or  justification  by  any  act  of  our  own,  so  as  to 
merit  it,  or  draw  it  as  a  debt  from  God  due  unto 
us,  but  we  acknowledge  all  to  be  of  and  from  his 
love,  which  is  the  original  and  fundamental  cause 
of  our  acceptance. 

"  God  manifested  this  love  toward  us  in  the 
sending  of  his  beloved  Son,  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  into  the  world;  who  gave  himself  for  us, 
an  oftering  and  a  sacrifice  to  God,  for  a  sweet 
smelling  savour ;  and  having  made  peace  through 
the  blood  of  his  cross,  that  He  might  reconcile  us 
unto  himself,  and  by  the  Eternal  Spirit,  offered 
himself  without  spot  unto  God,  and  suffered  for 
our  sins,  the  just  for  the  unjust,  that  He  might 
bring  us  unto  God. 

"  Forasmuch  as  all  men  who  have  come  to  man's 
estate,  (the  man  Jesus  only  excepted,)  have  sinned, 
therefore  all  have  need  of  this  Saviour,  to  remove 
the  wrath  of  God  from  them,  due  to  their  offfences. 
In  this  respect  He  is  truly  said  to  have  borne 
the  iniquities  of  us  all,  in  his  body  on  the  tree, 
and  therefore  is  the  only  Mediator,  liaving  qualified 
the  wrath  of  God  toward  us ;  so  that  our  former 


OF   REDEMPTION   BY   JESUS  CHRIST.      99 

Biua  stand  not  in  our  way,  being,  by  virtue  of  hia 
most  satisfactory  sacrifice,  removed  and  pardoned. 
I^Teither  do  we  think  that  remission  of  sins  is  to  be 
expected,  sought,  or  obtained,  any  other  way,  or 
by  any  works  or  sacrifice  whatsoever,  though,  as 
has  been  said  formerly,  they  may  come  to  partake 
of  this  remission,  that  are  ignorant  of  the  history. 

"  So  then,  Christ,  by  his  death  and  sufferings, 
hath  reconciled  us  to  God,  even  while  we  are 
enemies;  that  is.  He  oflfers  reconciliation  unto  us; 
we  are  put  into  a  capacity  of  being  reconciled. 
God  is  willing  to  forgive  us  our  iniquities,  and  to 
accept  us,  as  is  well  expressed  by  the  apostle,  2 
Cor.  V.  19,  '  God  was  in  Christ,  reconciling  the 
world  unto  himself,  not  imputing  their  trespasses 
unto  them,  and  hath  put  in  us  the  word  of  recon- 
ciliation.' And  therefore  the  apostle,  in  the  next 
verses,  entreats  them  in  Christ's  stead  to  be  recon- 
ciled to  God;  intimating  that  the  wrath  of  God 
being  removed  by  the  obedience  of  Christ  Jesus, 
He  is  willing  to  be  reconciled  unto  them,  and 
ready  to  remit  the  sins  that  are  past,  if  they  re- 
pent. 

"  We  consider,  then,  our  redemption  in  a  two- 
fold respect,  both  which  in  their  own  nature  are 
perfect,  though,  in  their  application  to  us,  the  one 
IP  not,  nor  can  be,  without  respect  to  the  other. 

"  The  first,  is  the  redemption  performed  and  ac- 
complished by  Christ  for  us,  in  his  crucified  body, 
without  us.     The  other  is  the  redemption  wrought 


100      OF  REDEMPTION  BY  JESUS  CHRIST. 

by  Christ  in  us ;  wliicli  no  less  properly  is  called 
•and  accounted  a  redemption  than  the  former.  The 
first,  then,  is  that  whereby  a  man,  as  he  stands  in 
the  fall,  is  put  into  a  capacity  of  salvation,  and 
hath  conveyed  unto  him,  a  measure  of  that  power, 
virtue,  spirit,  life,  and  gr.ice,  that  is  in  Christ 
Jesus,  which,  as  the  free  gift  of  God,  is  able  to 
counterbalance,  overcome  and  root  out  the  evil 
seed,  wherewith  we  are  naturally,  as  in  the  fall, 
leavened. 

"  The  second  is  that,  whereby  we  witness  and 
know  this  pure  and  perfect  redemption  in  our- 
selves, purifying,  cleansing,  and  redeeming  us, 
from  the  power  of  corruption,  and  bringing  us 
into  unity,  favour,  and  friendship  with  God. 

"  By  the  first  of  these  two,  we  that  were  lost  in 
Adam,  plunged  into  the  bitter  and  corrupt  seed, 
unable  of  ourselves  to  do  any  good  thing,  but 
naturally  joined  and  united  to  evil,  forward  and 
propense  to  all  iniquity,  servants  and  slaves  to  the 
power  and  spirit  of  darkness,  are,  notwithstanding 
all  this,  so  far  reconciled  to  God,  by  the  death  of 
his  Son,  while  enemies,  that  we  are  put  into  a 
capacity  of  salvation,  ha^dng  the  glad  tidings  of 
the  gospel  of  peace  offered  unto  us,  and  God  is  re- 
conciled 'into  us,  in  Christ ;  calls  and  invites  us  to 
himself;  in  which  respect  we  understand  these 
Scriptures,  '  He  slew  the  enmity  in  himself.  He 
loved  us  first ;  seeing  us  in  our  blood,  He  said  unto 
us,  live.     He  who  did  no  sin,  his  own  self  bare 


OP   REDEMl  nON  BY  JESUS  CHRIST.       101 

our  sins  in  Ms  own  body  on  tlie  tree;  and  He 
died  for  onr  sins,  the  just  for  the  unjust.'  , 

"By  the  second,  we  witness  this  capacity  brought 
into  act,  whereby  receiving  and  not  resisting  the 
purchase  of  his  death,  to  wit,  the  light,  spirit,  and 
grace  of  Christ  revealed  in  us,  we  witness  and 
possess  a  real,  true,  and  inward  redemption  from 
the  power  and  prevalency  of  sin,  and  so  come  to 
be  truly  and  really  redeemed,  justified,  and  made 
righteous,  and  to  a  sensible  union  and  friendship 
with  God.  Thus  He  died  for  us,  that  He  might 
redeem  us  from  all  iniquity ;  and  thus  we  know 
Him  and  the  power  of  his  resurrection,  and  the 
fellowship  of  his  sufferings,  being  made  conform- 
able to  his  death.  This  last  follows  the  first  in 
order,  and  is  a  consequence  of  it,  proceeding  from 
it,  as  an  effect  from  its  cause :  so  as  none  could 
have  enjoyed  the  last,  without  the  first  had  been, 
such  being  the  will  of  God ;  so  also  can  none  now 
partake  of  the  first,  but  as  he  witnesseth  the  last." 

William  Penn  in  his  "  Primitive  Christianity 
Revived,"  has  the  following : 

"  We  do  believe,  that  Jesus  Christ  was  our  holy 
sacrifice,  atonement,  and  propitiation;  that  He 
bore  our  iniquities,  and  that  by  his  stripes  we  are 
healed  of  the  wounds  Adam  gave  us  in  his  fall; 
and  that  God  is  just  in  forgiving  true  penitents 
upon  the  credit  of  that  holy  offering,  Christ  made 
of  himself  to  God  for  ms,  and  that  what  He  did 
and  suftered,  satisfied  and  pleased  God,  and  waa 
9* 


102      OF   REDEMPTION  BY  JESUS  CHEIST- 

for  the  sake  of  the  fallen  man,  that  had  displeased 
,God :  and  that  through  the  offering  up  of  himself 
once  for  all,  through  the  Eternal  Spirit,  He  hath 
forever  perfected  those,  in  all  times,  that  were 
sanctified,  who  walked  not  after  the  flesh,  hut  after 
the  Spirit.     Rom.  viii.  1.     Mark  that. 

"  In  short,  justification  consists  of  two  parts,  or 
hath  a  twofold  consideration,  viz.,  justification 
from  the  guilt  of  sin,  and  justification  from  the 
power  and  pollution  of  sin ;  and  in  this  sense,  jus- 
tification gives  a  man  a  full  and  clear  acceptance 
before  God.  For  want  of  this  latter  part  it  is,  that 
80  many  souls,  religiously  inclined,  are  often  under 
doubts,  scruples,  and  despondencies,  notwithstand- 
ing all  that  their  teachers  tell  them  of  the  extent 
and  efficacy  of  the  first  part  of  justification.  It  is 
too  general  an  unhappiness  among  the  professors 
of  Christianity,  that  they  are  apt  to  cloak  their 
own  active  and  passive  disobedience,  with  the  ac- 
tive and  passive  obedience  of  Christ. 

"  The  first  part  of  justification,  we  do  reverently 
and  humbly  acknowledge,  is  only  for  the  sake  of 
the  death  and  sufferings  of  Christ :  nothing  we  can 
do,  though  by  the  operation  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
being  able  to  cancel  old  debts,  or  wipe  out  old 
B chores.  It  is  the  power  and  efiicacy  of  that  pro- 
pitiatory offering,  upon  faith  and  repentance,  that 
justifies  us  from  the  sins  that  are  past;  and  it  is 
the  power  of  Christ's  Spirit  in  our  hearts,  that 
purifies   and   makes    us    acceptable   before   God. 


OP   EEDEMPTION   BY   JESUS   CHRIST.       103 

if  or  till  the  heart  of  man  is  purged  from  sin,  God 
will  never  accept  of  it.  He  reproves,  rebukes, , 
and  condemns  those  that  entertain  sin  there,  and 
therefore  such  cannot  be  said  to  be  in  a  justified 
state;  condemnation  and  justification  being  con- 
traries. So  that  tliey  that  hold  themselves  in  a 
justified  state  bj  the  active  and  passive  obedience 
of  Christ,  while  they  are  not  actively  and  pas- 
sively obedient  to  the  Spirit  of  Christ  Jesus,  are 
under  a  strong  and  dangerous  delusion. 

"  For  crying  out  against  this  sin-pleasing  imag- 
ination, not  to  say  doctrine,  we  are  staged  and  re- 
proached as  deniers  and  despisers  of  the  death  and 
sufferings  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  But  be  it 
known  to  such,  they  add  to  Christ's  suflferings, 
crucify  to  themselves  afresh  the  Son  of  God,  and 
trample  the  blood  of  the  covenant  under  their  feet, 
who  walk  unholily,  under  a  profession  of  justifica- 
tion; for  God  will  not  acquit  the  guilt}'',  nor  justify 
the  disobedient  and  unfaithful.  Such  deceive 
themselves,  and  at  the  great  and  final  judgment, 
their  sentence  will  not  be,  '  Come,  ye  blessed,' 
because  it  cannot  be  said  to  them,  'Well  done, 
good  and  faithful,'  for  they  cannot  be  so  esteemed, 
who  live  and  die  in  a  reprovable  and  condemna- 
ble  state;  but '  Gj,  ye  cursed.' " 


104  BAPTISM     AND    THE    SUPPEB. 

F. 

Baptiam  and  the  Supper. 

We  should  ever  bear  in  mind,  that  the  Son  of 
God  came  into  the  world  to  put  an  end  to  sin,  to 
finish  transgression,  and  to  bring  in  everlasting 
righteousness  ;  and  that  if  this  all-important  work 
is  accomplished,  it  must  be  carried  on  and  perfect- 
ed in  the  heart  of  man  by  the  Spirit  of  God  —  no 
outward  ceremonies  can  ever  eifect  it.  The  dis- 
pensation of  types  and  shadows,  with  its  "  divers 
washings"  or  baptisms,  was  finished  and  passed 
away  when  our  blessed  Lord  was  crucified;  and 
was  succeeded  by  the  more  glorious  dispensation 
of  the  gospel,  which  is  spirit  and  life  to  the  peni- 
tent and  obedient  soul.  The  Holy  Scriptures 
plainly  declare  that  there  is  now  but  one  baptism  ; 
and  that  this  one  baptism  saves  the  soul ;  "  not  by 
the  putting  away  of  the  filth  of  the  flesh,  but  by 
the  answer  of  a  good  conscience  towards  God,  by 
the  resurrection  of  Jesus  Christ."  Few  of  the  ad- 
vocates of  water  baptism  contend  that  it  is  neces- 
sary to  salvation;  while  the  New  Testament  uni- 
formly represents  the  baptism  of  Christ,  which  is 
with  the  Holy  Ghost  and  fire,  as  eflfectual  in  puri- 
fying the  soul  from  the  defilement  of  sin,  and  con- 
sequently essential  to  its  salvation. 

The  forerunner  of  our  Lord  testified,  "  I  indeed 
baptize  you  with  water  unto  repentance ;  but  He 
that  Cometh  after  me  is   mightier  than  I,  whose 


BAPTISM    AND   THE  SUPPER.  105 

shoes  I  am  not  worthy  to  bear ;  He  shall  baptize 
you  with  the  Holy  Ghost  and  fire ;  whose  fan  is  in 
his  hand,  and  He  will  thoroughly  purge  his  floor, 
and  gather  his  wheat  into  the  garner,  but  He  will 
burn  up  the  chafifwith  unquenchable  fire."  These 
striking  figures  are  a  lively  representation  of  the 
work  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  the  hearts  of  those  who 
submit  to  his  operations,  whereby  they  are  thor- 
oughly refined  from  the  pollution  of  sin,  and  the 
transgressing  nature  winnowed  away,  so  as  to  pre- 
pare the  soul  for  being  gathered  into  the  heavenly 
garner. 

To  those  who  thus  yield  themselves  to  this  fiery 
baptism,  and  follow  Christ  in  the  regeneration,  the 
apostle  addresses  this  language  :  "  Ye  are  complete 
in  Him,  who  is  the  head  of  all  principality  and 
power ;  in  whom  also  ye  are  circumcised  with  the 
circumcision  made  without  hands,  in  putting  off 
the  body  of  the  sins  of  the  flesh,  by  the  circumci- 
sion of  Christ;  buried  with  him  in  baptism,  where- 
in also  ye  are  risen  with  him,  through  the  faith 
of  the  operation  of  God,  who  raised  him  from  the 
dead." 

As  many  as  are  thus  baptized  into  Jesus  Christ, 
are  baptized  into  his  death;  and  like  as  Christ 
was  raised  up  from  the  dead  by  the  glory  of  the 
Father,  even  so  these  also  walk  in  newness  of  life 
"  They  have  put  on  Christ,"  and  "  become  new 
creatures ;  old  tnings  are  passed  away ;  behold  all 
things  are  become  new,  and  all  things  of  God." 


106  BAPTISM   AND   THE   SUPPER. 

This,  and  this  only,  is  the  baptism  of  the  gospel, 
and  this  is  complete  and  efi'ectual  in  itself;  with- 
out the  addition  of  any  outward  washing  or  sprink- 
ling, which  relate  to  the  body  only,  and  can  never 
affect  the  soul. 

The  passover  supper,  at  which  Jesus  gave  the 
bread  and  wine  to  his  disciples,  was  abolished, 
with  the  rest  of  the  Jewish  ceremonies,  at  his 
death;  and  although  the  disciples,  from  their  at- 
tachment to  the  law  of  Moses,  practised  it  after 
that  event,  as  they  did  circumcision,  and  abstain- 
ing from  blood  and  from  things  strangled ;  yet  we 
find  nothing  in  Scripture  to  warrant  the  assump- 
tion that  it  is  a  standing  ordinance  in  Christ's 
church.  He  himself  declares,  "  Except  ye  eat  the 
flesh  of  the  Son  of  man,  and  drink  his  blood,  ye 
have  no  life  in  you:  whoso  eateth  my  flesh  and 
drinketh  my  blood,  hath  eternal  life,  and  I  will 
raise  him  up  at  the  last  day ;  for  my  flesh  is  meat 
indeed,  and  my  blood  is  drink  indeed.  He  that 
eateth  my  flesh,  and  drinketh  my  blood,  dwelleth 
in  me,  and  I  in  him."  When  his  disciples  mur- 
mured at  this  doctrine.  He  told  them,  "  It  is  the 
Spirit  that  quickeneth,  the  flesh  profiteth  nothing; 
the  words  that  I  speak  unto  you,  they  are  spirit 
and  they  are  life." 

We  believe  that  this  communion  of  the  body 
and  blood  of  Christ,  without  which  we  cannot 
have  eternal  life,  is  inward  and  spiritual  —  a  real 
participation  of  his  divine  nature,  through  faith  in 


WOESHIP.  107 

him,  and  obedience  to  his  Spirit  in  the  heart ;  by 
which  the  inward  man  is  daily  nourished  and 
strengthened,  and  kept  alive  unto  God.  This  is 
the  true  communion  of  saints,  in  and  with  Christ 
Jesus  their  Lord,  and  it  is  not  confined  to  those 
who  have  the  knowledge  of  the  Holy  Scriptures,  or 
of  the  coming  and  sufferings  and  death  of  the  Son 
of  God,  as  the  propitiation  for  sin ;  but  is  gra- 
ciously granted  to  every  sincere  and  obedient  soul, 
who  is  faithful  to  the  degree  of  light  and  knowl- 
edge with  which  he  is  favoured,  agreeably  to  the 
testimony  of  our  Lord  himself:  "Behold  I  stand 
at  the  door  and  knock ;  if  any  man  hear  my  voice 
and  open  the  door,  I  will  come  in  to  him  and  sup 
with  him,  and  he  with  me." — Ancient  Testimony. 

G. 

Worship. 

"All  true  and  acceptable  worship  to  God  is 
offered  in  the  inward  and  immediate  moving  and 
drawing  of  his  own  Spirit,  which  is  limited  neither 
to  places,  times,  nor  persons.  For  though  we  are 
to  worship  him  always,  and  continually  to  fear 
before  him,  yet  as  to  the  outward  signification 
thereof,  in  prayers,  praises  or  preaching,  we  ought 
not  to  do  it  in  our  own  will,  where  and  when  we 
will,  but  where  and  when  we  are  moved  thereunto 
by  the  stirring  and  secret  inspiration  of  the  Spirit 
of  God  in  our  hearts ;   which  God  heareth  and  ac- 


108  WORSHIP. 

oepteth  of,  and  is  never  wanting  to  move  us  there- 
unto, when  need  is,  of  which  He  himself  is  the 
alone  proper  judge." 

"Although  I  say  that  this  worship  is  limited  nei- 
ther to  times,  places,  nor  persons,  yet  I  would  not 
be  understood  as  if  I  intended  the  putting  away 
of  set  times  and  places  to  worship  :  God  forhid  I 
should  think  of  such  an  opinion.  We  are  none 
of  those  that  forsake  the  assemhling  of  ourselves 
together,  hut  have  certain  times  and  places  in 
which  Ave  carefully  meet  to  wait  upon  God  and 
worship  him.  To  meet  together  we  think  neces- 
sary for  the  people  of  God ;  because  so  long  as  we 
are  clothed  with  this  outward  tabernacle,  there  is 
a  necessity  for  it,  in  order  to  entertain  a  joint  and 
visible  fellowship,  and  to  hear  an  outward  testi- 
mony for  God ;  and  seeing  the  faces  of  one 
another,  that  we  concur  with  our  persons  as  well 
as  spirits,  accompanied  with  inward  love  and 
unity  of  spirit,  doth  greatly  tend  to  encourage  and 
refresh  the  saints."  * 


*  Friends  do  not  uncover  the  head  on  entering  their  places  of 
worship,  but  sit  with  their  hats  on  or  off,  as  best  suits  the  conveni- 
ence and  comfort  of  each  one.  The  practice  of  pulling  off  the  hat 
had  its  origin  in  the  superstitious  notion  that  there  was  a  peculiar 
sanctity  in  places  of  worship,  and  that  they,  and  the  ground  on 
which  tliey  stood,  were  holy.  Hence  tliey  were  erroneous]}'  called 
"  holy  places,"  "  the  temples  of  God,"  or  "  the  houses  of  God."  Be- 
lieving that  these  views  were  incompatible  with  the  spirituality  of 
the  gospel  dispensation,  and  that,  according  to  the  testimony  of 
the  apostle  Paul,  and  of  the  martyr  Stephen,  the  Most  High  doea 


WOKSHIP.  109 

When  assembled,  the  o-reat  work  of  one  and  all 
ought  to  be  to  vrait  upon  God,  and  retiring  out  of 
their  own  thoughts  and  imaginations,  to  feel  the 
Lord's  presence,  and  know  a  gathering  into  his 
name  indeed,  where  He  is  in  the  midst,  according 
to  his  promise.  As  every  one  is  thus  gathered, 
and  so  met  together  inwardly  in  their  spirits, 
as  well  as  outwardly  in  their  persons,  there  the 
secret  power  and  virtue  of  [divine]  life  is  known 
to  refresh  the  soul,  and  the  pure  motions  and 
breathings  of  God's  Spirit  are  felt  to  arise;  from 
which,  as  words  of  declaration,  prayers  or  praises 
arise,  the  acceptable  worship  is  known  which  edi- 
fies the  church,  and  is  well  pleasing  to  God. 

Here  no  man  limits  the  Spirit  of  God,  nor  brings 
forth  his  own  conned  and  gathered  stutf ;  but  every 
one  puts  forth  that  which  the  Lord  puts  into  his 
heart.  This  is  uttered,  not  in  man's  will  and  wis- 
dom, but  in  the  evidence  and  "  demonstration  of 
the  Spirit  and  of  power."     Yea,  though  there  be 

not  now  dwell  in  temples  made  with  hands,  but  that  the  humble 
and  contrite  hearts  of  sincere  Christians  are  the  temples  in  which 
he  delights,  Friends  have  felt  themselves  restrained  from  using 
this  custom,  because  it  tends  to  keep  the  minds  of  the  people  out- 
ward, to  support  and  continue  an  erroneous  opinion,  and  as  prac- 
tised by  others,  is  an  empty  and  useless  ceremony. 

For  similar  reasons  they  do  not  call  their  meeting  -  places 
churches,  believing  it  an  entire  misapplication  of  the  word,  cal- 
culated to  give  a  false  impression,  wholly  irreconcilable  with 
Scripture  authority,  where  the  church  is  declared  to  be  the  living 
body  of  regenerated  and  sanctifled  believers,  of  whom  Jesus  Christ 

'jur  Lord  Is  the  adorable  Head. 
10 


110  WORSHIP. 

not  a  word  spoken,  yet  is  the  true  spiritual  wor- 
ship performed  and  the  body  of  Christ  edified.  It 
may  fall  out  am.ong  us,  and  hath  often  happened 
80,  that  divers  meetings  have  passed  without  one 
word  being  spoken,  and  yet  our  souls  have  been 
greatly  edified  and  refreshed,  and  our  hearts  won- 
derfully overcome  with  the  secret  sense  of  God's 
power  and  Spirit,  which,  without  words,  hath  been 
ministered  from  one  vessel  to  another. 

As  there  can  be  nothing  more  opposite  to  the 
natural  will  and  wisdom  of  man  than  this  silent 
waiting  upon  God,  so  neither  can  it  be  obtained 
nor  rightly  comprehended  by  man,  but  as  he  lay- 
eth  down  his  own  wisdom  and  will,  so  as  to  be 
content  to  be  thoroughly  subject  to  God.  There- 
fore it  is  not  preached  nor  can  be  so  practised,  but 
by  such  as  find  no  outward  ceremony,  no  observa- 
tions, no  words,  yea,  not  the  best  and  purest  words, 
even  the  words  of  Scripture  [alone]  able  to  satisfy 
their  weary  and  afilicted  souls ;  because  where  all 
these  may  be,  the  life,  power,  and  virtue  which 
make  such  things  effectual  may  be  wanting. 

Such  were  necessitated  to  cease  from  all  exter- 
nals, and  to  be  silent  before  the  Lord ;  and  being 
directed  to  the  inward  principle  of  life  and  light  in 
themselves,  as  the  most  excellent  teacher,  that  can 
never  be  removed  into  a  corner,  they  came  there- 
by to  be  taught  to  wait  upon  God  in  the  measure 
of  life  and  grace  received  from  him,  and  to  cease 
from  their  own  forms,  and  words,  and  actings,  in 


WORSHIP.  Ill 

the  natural  willing,  and  comprehension,  and  feel 
after  this  inward  seed  of  life,  that  as  it  moveth 
they  may  move  with  it,  and  be  actuated  by  its 
power,  and  influenced,  whether  to  pray,  preach,  or 
sing.  From  this  principle  of  man's  being  silent, 
and  not  acting  in  the  things  of  God  of  himself, 
until  thus  actuated  by  God's  light  and  grace  in  the 
heart,  did  naturally  spring  the  manner  of  sitting 
silent  together,  and  waiting  upon  the  Lord. 

The  excellency  of  this  silent  waiting  upon  God 
appears,  in  that  it  is  impossible  for  the  enemy  to 
counterfeit  it,  so  as  for  any  soul  to  be  deceived  or 
deluded  by  him  in  the  exercise  of  it.  In  all  other 
matters  he  may  mix  himself  with  the  natural  mind 
of  man,  and  so  by  transforming  himself  ho  may 
deceive  the  soul  by  busying  it  about  things,  per- 
haps innocent  in  themselves,  while  he  yet  keeps 
them  from  beholding  the  pure  light  of  Christ,  and 
so  from  knowing  distinctly  their  duty,  and  doing  it. 

When  the  soul  comes  to  this  silence,  and  as  it 
were,  is  brought  to  nothingness  as  to  her  own 
workings,  then  the  devil  is  shut  out,  for  the  pure 
presence  of  God  and  shining  of  his  light  he  can- 
not abide.  So  long  as  a  man  is  thinking  and 
meditating  as  of  himself,  he  cannot  be  sure  but  the 
devil  is  influencing  him  therein ;  but  when  he 
comes  wholly  to  be  silent,  as  the  pure  light  of  God 
shines  in  upon  him,  then  he  is  sure  that  the  devil 
is  shut  out,  for  beyond  the  imagination  he  cannot 
go. 


112  WORSHIP. 

The  natnie  of  this  worship  which  is  performed 
by  the  operation  of  the  Spirit,  the  natural  man 
being  silent,  appears  from  these  words  of  Christ: 
"But  the  hour  cometh^  and  now  is,  when  the  true 
worshippers  shall  worship  the  Father  in  spirit  and 
in  truth ;  for  the  Father  seeketh  such  to  worship 
him.  God  is  a  spirit,  and  they  that  worship  him, 
must  worship  him  in  spirit  and  in  truth."  This 
testimony  is  the  more  specially  to  be  observed,  for 
that  it  is  the  first,  chiefest,  and  most  ample  testi- 
mony which  Christ  gives  us  of  his  Christian  wor- 
ship. He  showeth  that  the  season  is  now  come 
wherein  the  worship  must  be  in  the  spirit  and  in 
truth  ;  for  the  Father  seeketh  such  to  worsliip  him. 
So  then  it  is  no  more  a  worship  consisting  in  out- 
ward observations,  to  be  performed  by  man  at  set 
times  or  opportunities,  which  he  can  do  in  his  own 
will  and  by  his  own  natural  strength,  for  else  it 
would  not  diifer  in  matter,  but  only  in  some  cir- 
cumstances, from  that  under  the  law. 

As  for  a  reason  of  this  worship,  we  need  not 
give  any  other,  and  indeed  none  can  give  a  better, 
than  that  which  Christ  giveth,  which  I  think 
should  be  sutRcient  to  satisfy  every  Christian,  to 
wit :  "  God  is  a  Spirit,  and  they  that  worship  him, 
must  worship  him  in  spirit  and  in  truth."  As 
this  ought  to  be  received  because  they  are  the 
words  of  Christ,  so  also  it  is  founded  upon  so  clear 
a  demonstration  of  reason,  as  sufficiently  evi- 
denceth  its  verity.     For  Christ  excoUently  arguetb 


WORSHIP.  113 

from  the  analogy  that  ought  to  be  betwixt  the  ob- 
ject and  the  worship  directed  to  it.  God  is  a 
spirit;  therefore  He  must  be  worshipped  in  spirit. 
— R.  Barclay. 

Divine  worship  is  the  highest  and  most  import- 
ant duty  in  which  the  mind  of  man  can  be  en- 
gaged. It  is  no  less  than  holding  intercourse  with 
the  Father  of  spirits,  and  offering  the  tribute  of 
honiage  and  adoration  to  "  the  High  and  lofty  One, 
who  inhabiteth  eternity,  whose  name  is  Holy ; " 
but  who  condescends  also  to  "  dwell  with  him  that 
is  of  a  contrite  and  humble  spirit;  to  revive  the 
spirit  of  the  humble,  and  to  revive  the  heart  of  the 
contrite  ones."  This  solemn  act  is  not  dependent 
upon,  or  necessarily  connected  with,  anything 
which  one  man  can  do  for  another;  but  must  be 
performed  between  the  soul  and  its  Almighty 
Creator;  for  "  God  is  a  spirit,  and  they  that  worship 
him,  must  worship  him  in  spirit  and  in  truth." 

Acceptable  worship  cannot  be  offered,  but 
through  the  assistance  of  the  Spirit  of  Christ;  He 
being  our  Mediator,  by  whom  only  we  can  ap- 
proach unto  God,  and  from  whom  we  must  derive, 
for  this  engagement,  both  ''  the  preparation  of  the 
heart  and  the  answer  of  the  tongue."  In  order  to 
experience  this  necessary  qualification,  it  is  our 
duty  to  have  the  mind  withdrawn  from  all  out- 
ward objects,  and  reverently  and  humbly  to  wait 
upon  the  Lord  in  the  silence  of  all  flesh ;  that  so 
He  may  be  pleased,  through  the  revelation  of  his 
10  * 


114  WORSHIP. 

Spirit,  to  give  us  a  true  sense  of  our  needs  and  a 
knowledge  of  his  will,  and  enable  us  to  offer  a  sacri- 
fi  -e  well-pleasing  in  his  sight.  Those  who  thus 
wait  upon  the  Lord,  and  depend  upon  the  assistance 
of  his  Spirit,  will  often  be  favoured  with  a  broken 
and  contrite  heart,  a  sacrifice  which,  it  is  declared, 
He  will  not  despise  —  their  spiritual  strength  will 
be  renewed,  and  they  will  experience  a  growth 
and  establishment  in  the  blessed  truth.  These, 
hoAvever  small  their  number  or  remote  and  solitary 
their  situation  may  be,  are  the  true  worshippers 
whom  the  Father  seeketh  to  worship  him ;  and  to 
whom  the  Lord  Jesus  will  fulfil  his  gracious 
promise,  "  Where  two  or  three  are  gathered  to- 
gether in  my  name,  there  am  I  in  the  i^  idst  of 
them." 

We  tenderly  entreat  all  to  be  constant  in  as 
sembling  with  their  brethren  on  first  days,  and 
other  days  of  the  week  when  meetings  for  Divine 
Worship  are  held,  in  order  to  bear  a  public  testi- 
mony to  our  dependence  upon  the  Father  of 
mercies,  for  the  blessings  we  enjoy,  and  to  experi- 
ence a  renewal  of  our  ability  to  live  in  his  fear, 
and  to  labour  in  his  blessed  cause  and  service. 
Let  us  not  suffer  the  improper  influence  of  tem- 
poral things,  an  indifferent  or  lifeless  state  of 
mind,  the  smallness  of  the  number  who  meet,  or 
the  absence  of  a  vocal  ministry,  to  discourage  us 
from  diligently  attending  all  our  religious  meet- 
'Uffs:  rememberins:  that  it  is  our  reasonable  ser- 


MINISTRY.  115 

vice  to  present  onr  bodies  a  living  sacrifice,  holy, 
acceptable  unto  God.  Where  this  is  the  sincere 
engagement  of  those  gathered,  whether  it  may 
please  him  to  authorize  any  public  ministry  or  not, 
the  great  minister  of  the  sanctuary,  Christ  Jesus, 
will,  in  his  own  time,  dispense  to  the  waiting  soul 
that  divine  consolation  or  instruction  which  He 
sees  to  be  best  for  it.  Let  none,  then,  be  weary  or 
ashamed  of  our  ancient  and  noble  testimony  to 
the  excellence  of  silent  waiting  upon  God;  it 
having  been  found,  in  the  experience  of  many  of 
his  servants,  a  most  profitable  exercise  of  mind, 
and  one  which  He  has  graciously  been  pleased  emi- 
nently to  own  and  bless. — Ancient  Testimony. 

Ministry. 
As  it  is  the  prerogative  of  the  great  Head  of  the 
church  alone  to  select  and  call  the  ministers  of  his 
gospel,  so  we  believe  both  the  gift,  and  the  qualifi- 
cation to  exercise  it,  must  be  derived  immediately 
from  Him ;  —  and  that  as  in  the  primitive  church, 
so  now  also.  He  confers  them  on  women  as  well  as 
on  men,  agreeably  to  the  prophecy  recited  by  the 
apostle  Peter :  "  It  shall  come  to  pass  in  the  last 
days,  saith  God,  I  will  pour  out  of  my  Spirit  upon 
all  flesh  :  and  your  sons  and  your  daughters  shall 
prophesy ; "  "  and  on  my  servants  and  on  my 
hand-maidens,  I  will  pour  out,  in  those  days,  of 
my  Spirit ;  and  they  shall  prophesy  :  "  respecting 
which  the  apostle  declares,  "The  promise  is  unto 


116  MINISTRY. 

you,  and  to  your  children,  and  to  all  tliat  are  afar 
off,  even  as  many  as  the  Lord  our  God  shall  call." 

The  gift  being  free,  the  exercise  of  it  is  to  be 
without  money  and  without  price,  agreeably  to 
the  command  of  our  Lord,  "  Freely  ye  have  re- 
ceived, freely  give." 

The  apostle  Paul  in  speaking  of  his  ministr}^, 
declares,  "  I  neither  received  it  from  man,  neither 
was  I  taught  it,  but  by  the  revelation  of  Jesus 
Christ;"  that  the  exercise  of  it  was  "not  in  the 
words  which  man's  wisdom  teacheth,  but  which 
the  Holy  Ghost  teacheth ;  "  and  that  his  "  speech 
and  his  preaching  were  not  with  enticing  words  of 
man's  wisd,om,  but  in  demonstration  of  the  Spirit 
and  of  power ;  that  the  faith  of  his  hearers  might 
not  stand  in  the  wisdom  of  men,  but  in  the  power 
of  God."  We  believe  that  the  experience  of 
every  true  minister  of  Christ  will  correspond  with 
that  of  the  apostle;  and  therefore,  our  religious 
Society,  from  its  first  rise,  has  borne  a  faithful 
testimony  against  a  man-made  and  hireling  min- 
istry. 

We  apprehend,  that  the  selection  of  one  man  to 
speak  to  an  assembly,  who  is  always  to  perform 
that  service  at  the  stated  times  of  meeting, 
whether  divinely  called  to  it  and  assisted,  or  not; 
to  the  exclusion  of  all  others,  whatever  may  be 
their  religious  exercises  or  apprehended  duty,  is 
an  unauthorized  assumption  of  poAver,  greatly  pre- 
judicial to  the  welfare  of  the  chun  h ;  and  a  direct 


MINISTRY.  117 

interference  with  the  divine  prerogative  of  Christ, 
whose  right  it  is  to  dispense  his  gifts  to  whom  He 
will,  as  saith  the  apostle,  "  To  one  is  given,  hy  the 
Spirit,  the  word  of  wisdom ;  to  another  the  word 
of  knowledge,  by  the  same  Spirit;  to  another 
faith;  to  another  the  gifts  of  healing  —  to  another 
the  working  of  miracles  —  to  another  prophecy  — 
to  another  discerning  of  spirits — to  another  divers 
kinds  of  tongues  —  to  another  the  interpretation 
of  tongues  :  hut  all  these  worketh  that  one  and  the 
self-same  Spirit,  dividing  to  every  man  severally  as 
He  will."  —  Ancient  Testmiomj. 

When,  by  the  transforming  power  of  his  grace. 
He  has  prepared  any  for  his  service,  and  bestowed 
on  them  a  gift  in  the  ministry,  such  having  freely 
received  it  from  Him,  feel  themselves  bound  as 
freely  to  dispense  that  with  which  they  are  in- 
trusted;  having  nothing  wherein  they  can  glory; 
because  a  necessity  is  laid  upon  them ;  yea,  woe  is 
unto  them,  if  they  preach  not  the  gospel.  This 
was  the  experience  of  the  primitive  ministers  of 
Christ,  whose  glory  it  was  that  they  made  not  the 
gospel  chargeable  to  any.  The  system  of  hireling 
ministry  presumes  to  place  this  divine  prerogative 
in  the  arbitrary  control  of  fallible  men,  who  per- 
mit any  that  comply  with  their  prescribed  forma 
to  assume  the  sacred  office ;  while  all  others,  how- 
ever godly  in  their  lives,  and  however  clearly  called 
of  the  Lord  to  the  work  of  the  ministry,  are  pro- 
bibited  from  engaging  in  it.     It  is  a  system  wliich 


118  MINISTRY. 

does  not  profess  that  any  renewed  divine  aid  or 
qualification  is  to  be  sought  for,  or  expected,  in 
the  solemn  acts  of  preaching  or  praying,  and  pro- 
poses to  perform  them  in  return  for  a  pecuniary 
compensation;  all  which  is  clearly  in  opposition 
to  the  practice  of  the  primitive  church,  and  to  the 
liberty  of  the  gospel  —  an  obstruction  to  the  reli- 
gious growth  and  usefulness  of  individuals  ;  and  a 
great  barrier  to  the  spread  of  those  spiritual  views 
which  constitute  an  essential  part  of  vital  religion. 
There  is  no  testimony  for  which  the  early  mem- 
bers of  our  Society  suffered  more  deeply  in  person 
and  estate  than  that  which  they  so  nobly  bore  to 
a  free  gospel  ministry,  of  Christ's  selection  and 
appointment.*  However  men  may  have  changed, 
the  system  remains  the  same.  Our  testimony 
against  it  has  lost  none  of  its  force  or  its  obliga- 
tion. Those  who  slight  or  baulk  it,  are  trampling 
upon  the  sufferings  of  our  worthy  predecessors, 
and  going  back  into  the  bondage  to  carnal  ordi- 
nances, out  of  which  they  were  redeemed.  Such 
we  believe  will  suffer  loss  in  a  spiritual  sense ;  dis- 
qualifying themselves  for  the  performance  of  that 
worship  which  is  in  spirit  and  in  truth,  and  which 

*  From  an  early  period  after  the  rise  of  the  Society,  the  amount 
annually  distrained  from  Friends  in  consequence  of  their  conscien 
tious  refusal  to  pay  tithes,  and  other  ecclesiastical  demands,  has 
been  very  large.  Of  late  years,  the  unwillingness  of  Friends  ir. 
Great  Britain  and  Ireland  to  comply  with  these  anti-ChrLstian  im- 
positions, has  led  to  the  seizure  and  sale  of  their  property,  to  th.- 
value  of  about  forty  thousand  dollars  a  year, 


PRAYER.  119 

only  is  acceptable  to  the  Father,  and  be  in  danger 
of  settling  into  lukewarmness  and  cold  formality. 
—  Y.  M.  Extracts. 

Prayer. 

Prayer  is  a  duty  inseparable  from  the  life  and 
growth  of  a  Christian.  Whenever  he  is  upon  the 
watch,  it  is  the  clothing  of  his  spirit.  He  cannot 
maintain  the  watch  against  the  insidious  machi- 
nations of  his  unwearied  enemj^,  without  the  con- 
stant aid  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  This  Spirit,  which 
reminds  him  of  his  need  of  holy  aspirations  to  the 
throne  of  grace  for  preservation,  and  for  forgive- 
ness of  his  missteps  when  off  the  watch,  influences 
and  prepares  his  heart  to  breathe  forth  fervent  de- 
sires before  the  Lord,  for  strength  to  stand  against 
the  wiles  of  the  devil,  that  he  may  be  built  up  and 
preserved  upon  the  Rock,  Christ  Jesus.  When 
through  divine  love  he  is  made  sensible  of  the 
Lord's  holy  presence,  prayer  or  praise  arises  in  his 
soul ;  and  thus  he  is  permitted  to  hold  communion 
with  the  Father  of  mercies,  the  God  of  all  consola- 
tion. But  it  is  only  through  the  Spirit  of  our 
Holy  Intercessor  and  Advocate  with  the  Father, 
that  the  heart  is  thus  influenced  and  enabled  to 
put  up  availing  prayer.  Kone  need  doubt  that 
this  indispensable  qualification  will  be  furnished 
if  they  humbly  seek  it,  and  are  obedient  to  the 
divine  will  in  this  and  other  duties. 

At  those  seasons  of  divine  visitation,  when  the 


120  PEAYER. 

convictions  of  that  grace,  which  strives  with  all  to 
save  them,  are  pressing  upon  the  rebelHons  trans- 
gressor, as  they  are  yielded  to,  a  cry  for  mercy  and 
forgiveness  is  raised  by  the  Holy  Spirit  in  the 
heart,  which  will  reach  the  gracious  ear  of  Him 
against  whom  he  has  sinned,  and  will  be  accepted. 

Were  the  command  of  our  Lord  to  "  watch  and 
pray  continually  "  lived  up  to,  there  would  be  no 
formal  prayers;  and  where  that  is  not  regarded, 
formal  pra}- ers  will  not  avail  as  a  substitute.  Many 
of  our  early  Friends  had  been  educated  in  the 
habit  of  "  saying  their  prayers,"  as  it  is  termed,  at 
stated  periods;  and  when  it  was  given  them,  in 
the  light  of  Christ  Jesus,  to  see  their  own  condi- 
tions, and  that  He  required  a  thorough  change  of 
heart,  they  were  convinced  that  those  customary 
and  lifeless  prayers,  in  which  the  spirit  of  suppli- 
cation was  not  poured  forth  from  on  high  upon 
the  individual,  would  not  avail  anything,  and  they 
were  restrained  from  the  practice,  and  from  teach- 
ing it  to  their  children.  They  clearly  saw  and  felt 
that  He  only,  to  whom  the  apostles  applied,  could 
teach  them  how  to  pray,  and  what  to  pray  for. 
Under  his  guidance,  their  lives  became  lives  of 
prayer  and  watchfulness,  and  many  of  them  at- 
tained to  an  extraordinary  growth  and  fixedness 
in  the  blessed  truth. 

Like  the  qualification  for  gospel  ministry,  we 
have  always  believed  that  the  putting  forth  of  the 
Shepherd  of  Israel  is  requisite  for  the  duty  of 


TRADE    AND    BUSINESS.  121 

vocal  prayer  in  our  religious  assemblies,  a  service 
in  which  the  spiritual  worshipper  can  fervently 
and  cordially  unite,  when  it  is  performed  under 
the  anointing  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  It  is  one  of  the 
most  solemn  acts  in  which  man  can  be  engaged, 
and  when  prostrated  in  the  presence  of  the  great 
I  AM,  our  words  should  be  few  and  weighty. — 
Ancient  Testimony. 

H. 

Tirade  and  Business. 

"We  feel  tenderly  solicitous  on  behalf  of  those 
who  are  engaged  in  trade  or  business,  and  who,  in 
pursuing  the  means  of  gaining  an  honest  liveli- 
hood, are  subjected  to  many  difficulties.  We  be- 
lieve the  present  is  a  day  of  peculiar  temptation  to 
such.  Circumstances  of  latter  tinie  have  combined 
to  produce  a  state  of  extraordinary  excitement 
among  the  trading  community,  and  an  active  and 
eager  competition,  which  is  not  scrupulous  as  to 
the  means  employed  to  invite  and  secure  custom. 
Pressed  by  the  manoeuvres  of  this  selfish  and 
grasping  spirit,  and  beholding  the  apparent  suc- 
cess, which  for  a  while  is  sometimes  permitted  to 
attend  it,  we  fear  lest  any  under  our  name,  should 
yield  to  the  temptation  to  resort  to  artifices  or 
plans,  to  enlarge  their  business  or  to  increase  their 
profits,  which  are  inconsistent  with  the  law  of 
universal   righteousness,   and   thus   destroy  their 

peace  of  mind.     Strict  justice  and  honesty  in  all 
ij 


122  TRADE   AND    BUSINESS. 

his  dealings,  and  a  conscientious  observance  of  the 
great  precept  of  our  holy  Redeemer,  "Whatsoever 
ye  would  that  men  should  do  to  you,  do  ye  also 
even  so  unto  them,"  are  the  indispensable  duties 
of  the  Christian ;  and  the  greatest  pecuniary  gain 
would  be  no  compensation  for  the  guilt,  and  the 
sore  distress,  which,  sooner  or  later,  must  result 
from  a  violation  of  them. 

The  standard  which  the  world  adopts,  and  even 
defends,  in  its  pursuit  of  trade  and  its  desire  to 
gather  riches,  is  not  a  safe  one  for  the  disciple  of 
Christ.  "Men  will  praise  thee  when  thou  doest 
well  for  thyself;  "  and  we  sorrowfully  see  that  this 
praise  is  often  bestowed  with  but  little  regard  to  the 
means  employed  to  acquire  wealth.  But  we  are 
taught  by  the  Saviour  himself,  that  "  that  which  is 
highly  esteemed  among  men  is  an  abomination  in 
the  sight  of  God ; "  and  we  fear  that  it  is  true  as 
respects  some  of  the  modes  of  conducting  busi- 
ness, and  many  of  the  schemes  for  procuring 
money,  which  are  resorted  to  in  the  present  day. 

Earnestly  do  we  desire  that  all  may  be  scrupu- 
lously on  their  guard,  not  to  suffer  their  nice  sense 
of  Christian  integrity  to  be  blunted  or  benumbed 
by  the  examples  which  pass  unreproved  in  the 
community,  but  steadily  adhere  to  that  strict  up- 
rightness, in  all  their  transactions  and  converse, 
which  becomes  the  disciple  of  Christ,  and  which 
80  remarkably  distinguished  our  worthy  predeces- 
sors.    How  exact  were  they  in  the  fulfilment  of 


TRADE    AND    BUSINESS.  123 

their  words  and  obligations !  how  careful  to  avoid 
all  evasive  and  insincere  dealings,  and  how  consci- 
entious not  to  engage  in  anything  of  a  doubtful  or 
objectionable  character.  Their  strictness  in  these 
respects  gained  for  them,  and  for  our  religious  So- 
ciety, a  high  reputation;  and  the  Lord  blessed 
their  honest  endeavours,  so  that  they .  prospered 
in  the  world.  May  their  noble  example  influence 
us  of  the  present  day  to  follow  in  their  footsteps, 
that  so  our  conduct  may  bring  no  shade  over  the 
brightness  of  our  Christian  profession,  but  that 
walking  and  acting  in  the  holy  light  of  the  Lord 
Jesus,  we  may,  by  our  example,  commend  our 
principles  to  those  who  behold  us,  and  experience 
in  ourselves  the  truth  of  the  Scripture  declaration, 
"The  path  of  the  just  man  is  as  a  shining  light, 
that  shineth  more  and  more  unto  the  perfect  day." 
It  is  a  truth  confirmed  by  the  experience  of 
many,  that  "  godliness  with  contentment  is  great 
gain,  having  promise  of  the  life  that  now  is  and 
of  that  which  is  to  come."  Where  the  desires  of 
the  mind  are  circumscribed  by  the  limitations  of 
the  holy  Truth,  there  is  more  true  enjoyment  in  a 
moderate  business,  and  a  moderate  and  simple 
way  of  living,  than  can  be  known  by  any  of  the 
sons  or  daughters  of  extravagance  and  folly.  In 
this  Vuir.ble  state,  a  little  with  the  Lord's  blessing 
satisfies  its  wants.  Its  peace  and  tranquillity,  in  a 
reverent  dependence  upon  God,  are  preserved,  and 
many  sorrows  and  temptations  are  avoided.     Re* 


124  TRADE   AND    BUSINESS. 

deemed  from  the  love  of  the  world,  and  the  affec- 
tions set  on  things  above,  it  is  jealous  over  itself, 
lest  it  should  become  unduly  occupied  with  the 
things  of  time,  and  rather  shuns  than  seeks  a  L^rge 
b.usiness;  mainly  desiring,  that  while  diligent  in 
the  necessary  concerns  of  life,  it  may  be  "  fervent 
in  spirit,  serving  the  Lord."  The  eye  being  thus 
kept  single,  it  is  favoured  with  divine  light,  clearly 
to  discover  the  path  which  the  Lord  is  calling  to 
walk  in;  and,  freed  from  needless  anxiety  and 
care,  and  the  cumber  of  much  worldly  business, 
its  time  and  faculties  are  devoted,  under  the  lead- 
ings of  the  good  Shepherd,  to  the  services  of  reli- 
gious Society  and  the  promotion  of  the  cause  of 
truth  and  rig-hteousness  in  the  earth. 

We  have  abundant  reason  to  assent  to  the  truth 
of  the  declaration  of  the  inspired  apostle,  "  They 
that  will  be  rich  fall  into  temptation  and  a  snare, 
and  into  many  foolish  and  hurtful  lusts,  which 
drown  men  in  destruction  and  perdition."  How 
many  of  this  class,  in  their  haste  to  accomplish 
their  favourite  object,  have  launched  out  into  large 
business,  brought  upon  themselves  a  load  of  anxiety 
and  care  which  has  deprived  them  of  much  of  the 
comfort  of  life,  wounded  their  own  consciences, 
and  done  violence  to  the  secret,  gentle  convictions 
of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  at  last  been  bitterly  disap- 
pointed, as  regards  the  attainment  of  that  which 
they  have  been  so  eagerly  pursuing. 

The  desire  after  large  business  is  one  of  the  be- 


TRADE   AND  BUSINESS.  126 

setting  temptations  of  tlie  present  clay,  and  we 
would  aftectionately  entreat  our  members  to  be- 
ware of  beino;  causfbt  with  it.  "  Seekest  thou 
great  things  for  thyself,  seek  them  not,"  is  a  lan- 
guage of  Holy  Scripture  applicable,  we  believe,  at 
this  day,  to  every  one  who  desires  to  be  a  partaker 
of  the  joys  of  the  righteous.  The  happiness  of 
man's  life  consisteth  not  in  the  abundance  of  the 
things  which  he  possesseth,  but  in  the  love  of  God 
shed  abroad  in  the  heart,  and  daily  communion 
with  him.  Trade,  or  business,  or  speculations  in 
property,  which  hold  out  prospects  of  a  rapid  ac- 
cumulation of  riches,  often  destroy  the  tranquillity 
of  the  mind,  and  lead  to  perplexities  which  not 
only  lessen  the  desire,  but  disqualify,  for  a  patient, 
humble  dependence  upon  Him,  who  is  the  author 
of  all  our  mercies,  and  whose  blessing  alone 
maketh  truly  rich. 

May  none  involve  themselves  in  worldly  con- 
cerns of  such  magnitude,  or  of  so  absorbing  a 
character,  as  to  disqualify  them  for  acting  the  part 
of  faithful  stewards  to  God,  in  the  right  use  of 
their  time,  their  talents,  and  the  temporal  sub- 
stance intrusted  to  their  care;  or  prevent  them 
from  being  concerned,  in  all  things  to  pass  the 
time  of  their  sojourning  on  earth  in  fear,  and  by 
daily  watchfulness  unto  pra3^er,  to  have  their  lamps 
trimmed,  and  oil  in  their  vessels,  that  when  the 
solemn  close  of  life  shall  come,  they  may  be  pre- 
11 » 


126  CHRISTIAN   LIBERALITY. 

pared,  througli  the  mercy  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus, 
to  enter  into  the  joy  of  their  Lord. 

We  affectionately  desire  that  those  who  are  made 
stewards  over  but  a  sihall  portion  of  this  world's 
goods,  may  be  contented  in  the  allotment  which 
Divine  Providence  has  assigned  them,  and  whilst 
diligently  pursuing  a  course  of  honest  industry, 
observe  the  injunction  of  our  holy  Redeemer, 
"  Seek  first  the  kingdom  of  God,  and  the  right- 
eousness thereof;  "  in  the  undoubted  assurance 
that  the  annexed  promise  will  be  fulfilled,  "  and 
all  things  necessary  shall  be  added  unto  you." 
Seek  not,  by  entering  upon  any  undertakings  into 
which  the  Truth  does  not  lead,  to  increase  your 
earthly  possessions  ;  but  having  your  eye  fixed  on 
the  durable  riches  and  righteousness  that  fade  not 
away,  endeavour  to  lay  up  for  yourselves  treasure 
in  heaven.  He  who  feedeth  the  ravens  and  clothes 
the  lilies  of  the  field  will  not  fail,  as  you  serve 
Him  in  uprightness,  to  grant  you  all  that  is  neces- 
sary for  your  accommodation  during  the  short 
period  of  your  stay  on  earth,  and  also  make  you 
rich  in  faith,  and  heirs  of  the  promises.  —  Y.  M, 
Epistle. 

Christian  Liberality. 

Those  who  are  in  more  easy  or  in  afiluent  cir- 
cumstances, have  their  peculiar  temptations,  and  a 
weighty  responsibility  arising  out  of  the  trust 
committed  to  their  care.     They  are  stewards,  who 


SIMPLICITY   OF    APPAREL.  127 

must  give  an  accourj*.  of  the  manner  in  which  they 
use  their  temporal  substance,  which  is  not  theii 
own,  hut  belongs  to  Him  whose  is  the  earth  and 
the  fulness  thereof,  to  be  used  for  his  glory  and 
the  o;ood  of  their  fellow-creatures.  We  would 
encourage  these  carefully  to  cherish  and  practice 
Christian  liberality  towards  proper  objects  of  be- 
nevolence, and  to  seek  out  and  aid  such,  rather 
than  hoard  up  for  those  who  may  come  after 
them;  the  effect  of  which  has  often  been  injurious 
both  to  their  temporal  and  spiritual  welfare ;  and 
to  be  fruitful  in  the  good  works  produced  by  that 
faith  which  gives  the  victory  over  the  world. 
May  a  deep  sense  of  these  things  so  rest  upon  the 
minds  of  this  class,  that  living  in  humility  and 
godly  fear,  they  may  at  last  be  prepared  to  render 
up  their  accounts  with  joy,  and  receive  the  answer 
of  "  Well  done,  good  and  faithful  servant." 

Simplicity  of  Apparel. 
The  use  of  clothes  came  originally  from  the  fall. 
If  man  had  not  fallen,  he  would  not  have  needed 
them ;  but  this  miserable  state  made  them  neces- 
sary. Now  for  man  to  delight  himself  in  that 
which  is  the  fruit  of  his  iniquity  and  the  conse- 
quence of  his  sin,  can  be  no  ways  lawful  for  him. 
So,  to  extend  things  beyond  their  real  use,  or  to 
superadd  things  wholj  y  superfluous,  is  a  manifest 
abuse  of  the  creation,  and  therefore  not  lawful  for 
Ohristians. 


128  SCMPLICITY    OF    APPAREL. 

Those  who  so  adorn  themselves  in  the  use  of 
their  clothes,  as  to  beset  them  with  things  having  no 
real  use  or  necessity,  but  merely  for  ornament  sake, 
openly  declare  that  the  end  of  it  is  either  to  please 
their  lust,  for  which  these  things  are  chiefly  con- 
trived, or  to  gratify  a  vain,  proud  and  ostentatious 
mind ;  and  it  is  obvious  these  are  their  general  de- 
signs in  so  doing.  We  see  how  easily  men  are 
puffed  up  with  their  garments,  and  how  proud 
and  vain  they  are,  when  adorned  to  their  minds. 
How  far  these  things  are  below  a  true  Christian, 
and  how  unsuitable,  needs  very  little  proof.  Those 
who  love  to  be  gaudy  and  superfluous  in  their 
clothes,  show  that  they  concern  themselves  little 
with  mortification  and  self-denial,  and  that  they 
study  to  beautify  their  bodies  more  than  their 
souls;  which  proves  they  think  little  upon  their 
mortality,  and  so  are  certainly  more  nominal  than 
real  Christians. 

The  Scripture  severely  reproves  such  practices, 
both  commending  and  commanding  the  contrary. 
How  severel}'^  doth  the  prophet  Isaiah,  chap,  iii., 
reprove  the  daughters  of  Israel  for  their  tinkling 
ornaments,  their  cauls,  their  round  tires,  their 
chains  and  bracelets,  &c.  Yet  is  it  not  strange  to 
see  Christians  allow  themselves  in  these  things, 
from  whom  a  more  strict  and  exemplary  conver- 
sation is  requirt/d?  Christ  desires  us  not  to  be 
anxious  about  our  clothing;  and  to  show  the 
vanity  of  such  as  glory  in  the  splendor  of  their 


SIMPLICITY   OF   APPAREL.  129 

clotliing,  tells  them,  "  That  even  Solomon,  in  all 
his  glory,  was  not  to  be  compared  to  the  lily  of  the 
field,  which  to-day  is,  and  to-morrow  is  cast  into 
the  oven."  But  surely  they  make  small  reckoning 
of  Christ's  words  and  doctrine,  who  are  so  curious 
in  their  clothing,  so  industrious  to  deck  themselves, 
so  earnest  to  justify  it,  and  so  enraged  when  they 
are  reproved  for  it.  The  apostle  Paul  is  very 
positive  in  this  respect :  "  I  will  therefore  in  like 
manner  also  that  women  adorn  themselves  in 
modest  apparel,  -with  shame-facedness  and  sobriety, 
and  not  with  broidered  hair,  or  gold,  or  pearls,  or 
costly  array;  but,  which  becometh  women  pro- 
fessing godliness,  with  good  works."  To  the  same 
purpose  saith  Peter,  "Whose  adorning  let  it  not  be 
that  outward  adorning  of  plaiting  the  hair,  and 
wearing  of  gold,  or  of  putting  on  of  apparel ;  but 
let  it  be  the  hidden  man  of  the  heart,  in  that 
which  is  not  corruptible,  even  the  ornament  of  a 
meek  and  quiet  spirit,  which  is,  in  the  sight  of 
God,  of  great  price." 

Here  both  the  apostles  do  very  positively  and 
expressly  assert  two  things.  First,  that  the  adorn- 
ing of  Christian  women,  of  whom  it  is  particularly 
spoken,  I  judge  because  this  sex  is  most  naturally 
inclined  to  that  vanity,  ought  not  to  be  outward, 
nor  to  consist  in  the  apparel. 

Secondly,  That  they  ought  not  to  use  the  plait- 
ing of  the  hair,  or  ornaments,  &c.,  which  was  at 
that  time  the  custom  of  the  nations.     But  is  it  not 


130  SIMPLICITY  OF   APPAREL. 

strange,  that  sucli  as  make  the  Scripture  their  rale, 
and  pretend  they  are  guided  hy  it,  should  not  only 
be  so  generally  in  the  use  of  these  things,  which 
the  Scripture  so  plainly  condemns,  but  also  should 
attempt  to  justify  themselves  in  so  doing?  For 
the  apostles  not  only  commend  the  forbearance  of 
these  things,  as  an  attainment  commendable  in 
Christians,  but  condemn  the  use  of  them  as  un- 
lawful. Yet  does  it  not  seem  more  strange,  that 
in  contradiction  to  the  apostles'  doctrine,  as  if  they 
had  resolved  to  slight  their  testimony,  they  should 
condemn  those  who  out  of  conscience  apply  them- 
selves seriously  to  follow  it,  as  if  in  so  doing  they 
were  singular,  proud,  or  superstitious  ?  This  cer- 
tainly betokens  a  sad  apostasy  in  those  who  will 
be  accounted  Christians,  that  they  are  so  oiFended 
with  those  who  love  to  follow  Christ  and  his 
apostles  in  denying  and  departing  from,  the  lying 
vanities  of  this  perishing  world ;  and  so  evidence 
their  affinity  with  such  as  hate  to  be  reproved, 
and  neither  will  enter  the  kingdom  themselves, 
nor  suifer  those  that  would.  —  B,.  Barclay. 

Pride  leads  people  to  a  fond  value  of  their  per- 
sons, especially  if  they  have  any  pretensions  to 
shape  or  beauty.  It  is  admirable  to  see  how  much 
some  are  taken  with  themselves,  as  if  nothing  else 
deserved  their  regard  or  the  good  opinion  of  others. 
It  would  abate  their  folly,  if  they  could  find  in 
their  hearts  to  spare  but  half  of  the  time  to  think 
of  God  and  their  latter  end,  whicb  they  most  prod- 


SIMPLICITY  OF   APPAREL.  131 

igally  spend  in  vvasliing,  perfuming,  painting,  at- 
tiring, and  dressing.  In  these  things  they  are 
very  precise  and  artificial,  and  for  cost  they  spare 
not.  That  which  aggravates  the  evil  is,  that  the 
pride  of  one  might  comfortably  supply  the  need 
of  ten.  Gross  impiety  it  is,  that  a  nation's  pride 
should  not  be  spared  to  a  nation's  poor !  But 
what  is  this  for  at  last !  Only  to  be  admired,  to 
have  reverence,  to  draw  love,  and  to  command  the 
eyes  and  affections  of  beholders.  And  so  fantastic 
are  they  in  it,  as  hardly  to  be  pleased.  jN'othing 
scarcel}"  is  good,  or  fine,  or  fashionable  enough  for 
them.  The  sun  itself,  the  blessing  of  heaven, 
must  not  shine  upon  them  lest  it  tan  them,  nor  the 
wind  blow  upon  them  lest  it  disorder  them.  O 
impious  nicety!  While  they  value  themselves 
above  all  else,  they  make  themselves  the  slaves  of 
their  own  pride,  worshipping  their  shape,  features, 
or  complexion,  whichsoever  is  their  excellency. 

In  such  follies  we  have  a  specimen  of  man,  what 
a  creature  he  is  in  his  lapse  from  his  primitive  im- 
age. All  this,  as  Jesus  said  of  sin  of  old,  comes 
from  within :  from  the  disregard  of  men  and 
women  to  the  Word  of  their  Creator  in  their 
hearts,  which  shows  pride,  and  teaches  humility 
and  self-abasement,  and  directs  the  mind  to  the 
true  object  of  honour  and  Avorship;  and  that  with 
an  awe  and  reverence  suitable  to  his  sovereignty 
and  majesty.  Poor  mortals!  But  living  dirt, 
made  of  what  they  tread  on ;  who,  with  all  their 


132  SIMP]   ICITY   OF    APPAREL. 

pride  and  finery,  cannot  secure  themselves  from 
the  spoil  of  sickness,  much  less  from  the  stroke  of 
death.  Oh !  did  people  consider  the  inconstancy  of 
all  visihle  things,  the  cross  and  adverse  occurrences 
of  man's  life,  the  certainty  of  his  departure  and 
of  eternal  judgment,  it  is  to  be  hoped  they  would 
bring  their  deeds  to  Christ's  light  in  their  hearts, 
and  see  whether  they  are  wrought  in  God  or  not. 
Art  thou  comely,  beautiful  ?  Admire  the  power 
that  made  thee  so.  Live  an  harmonious  life  to  thy 
make  and  frame,  and  let  the  beauty  of  thy  body 
teach  thee  to  beautify  thy  mind  with  holiness,  the 
ornament  of  the  beloved  of  God.  Art  thou 
homely  or  deformed  ?  Magnify  the  goodness  that 
did  not  make  thee  a  beast,  and  with  tlie  grace  that 
is  given  thee,  for  it  has  appeared  to  all,  learn  to 
adorn  thy  soul  with  enduring  beauty.  Remember, 
the  Kino;  of  heaven's  daughter,  the  church  of 
which  all  true  Christians  are  members,  is  all  glori- 
ous within.  If  thy  soul  excel  in  this  inward  adorn- 
ing, thy  body  will  only  set  off  the  lustre  of  thy 
mind.  Nothing  is  homely  in  God's  sight  but  sin  ; 
and  they  that  commune  with  their  own  hearts  and 
sin  not;  who,  in  the  light  of  the  holy  Jesus,  watch 
over  the  movings  and  inclinations  of  their  own 
Bouls,  and  suppress  every  evil  in  its  conception ; 
these  love  the  yoke  and  cross  of  Christ,  and  are 
daily  crucified  by  it  to  the  world,  but  live  unto 
God  in  that  life  which  outlives  all  the  fading  pleas-. 
ures  of  time  and  sense.  —  W.  Perm. 


PLAIN  LANGUAGE,  ETC.  13ft 

On  the  Use  of  the  Plain  Language,  avoiding  Fh  tiering 
Titles,  ^c. 

Convinced  that  the  use  of  compliments  and  flat- 
tering titles,  bowing,  and  putting  off  the  hat,  and 
addressing  a  single  individual  in  the  plural  lan- 
guage, all  had  tlieir  origin  in  the  Y)ride  of  the 
human  heart,  nourished  a  vain  mind,  and  being 
often,  or  mostly,  used  for  mere  show,  without  any 
real  feeling  of  respect,  tended  to  encourage  an  in- 
sincere and  hypocritical  disposition ;  Friends  have 
felt  themselves  religiously  bound  to  abstain  from 
them,  and  to  keep  to  the  plain  Scripture  language 
of  Thou  and  Thee  when  addressing  one  person, 
according  to  correct  grammar  rules. 

George  Fox  says,  the  Lord  showed  me  that  it 
was  an  honour  which  He  would  lay  in  the  dust 
and  stain :  an  honour  which  proud  flesh  looked 
for,  and  sought  not  the  honour  that  comes  from 
God  only.  That  it  was  an  honour  invented  by 
men  in  the  fall  and  alienation  from  God,  who 
were  offended  if  it  were  not  given  to  them,  yet 
would  be  looked  upon  as  saints,  church  members 
and  Christians.  But  Christ  saith,  "  How  can  ye 
believe  who  receive  honour  one  of  another,  and 
seek  not  the  honour  that  cometh  from  God  only ;  " 
and  again,  "  I  receive  not  honour  of  men." 

In  allusion  to  the  use  of  the  singular  number 
in  addressing  an  individual,  the  disuse  of  the 
appellations  master,  or  mister,  mistresp,  sire  and 

12 


134  PLAIN   LANGUAGE   AND 

other  complimentary  epithets  to  those  who  do 
not  stand  in  those  relations  to  us,  a  writer  on 
the  views  of  Friends,  remarks  :  "  From  these  and 
other  erroneous  and  corrupt  practices  the  Spirit 
of  Truth,  in  which  w^e  profess  to  believe  as  the 
guide  into  all  truth,  led  our  predecessors  in  re- 
ligious profession,  and  still  leads  us  as  we  faith- 
fully follow  it.  Our  conduct  in  these  respects  is 
so  fully  supported  by  the  practices  mentioned  in 
Holy  Scripture,  as  well  as  by  the  simplicity  and 
reasonableness  of  it,  that  I  apprehend  no  one  will 
deny  its  propriety. 

"  Tlie  origin  of  applying  the  plural  number  to  an 
individual,  and  of  giving  complimentary  titles, 
will,  I  suppose,  be  acknowledged  by  those  who 
have  traced  these  things  to  their  source,  to  be 
vanity  and  pride.  Besides  this  consideration,  our 
practice  of  using  the  singular  number,  and  of  call- 
ing persons  by  their  right  names,  is  both  more 
correct  and  more  perspicuous.  This  is  also  the 
case  with  respect  to  our  names  of  the  months  and 
days.  Nevertheless,  it  is  not  by  reason  and  pro- 
priety alone  that  our  conduct  in  these  things  is 
supported,  nor  are  these  the  grounds  of  our  prac- 
tice. The  examples  and  precepts  recorded  in  the 
Holy  Scriptures  also  justify  our  conduct. 

"  It  was  no  doubt  the  complimentary,  and  not  the 
proper,  use  of  the  appellations  of  Rabbi,  Father, 
and  Master,  that  our  Lord  prohibited  among  his 
followers.      Speaking   of  the   disposition   of  the 


DISUSE   OF   COMPLIMENTS,  ETC.  136 

Scribes  and  Pharisees,  He  says,  '  They  love  the 
uppermost  rooms  at  feasts,  and  the  chief  seats  in 
tlie  synagogues,  and  greetings  in  the  markets,  and 
to  be  called  of  men,  Rabbi,  Rabbi.'  Then  ad- 
dressing himself  to  his  disciples  and  the  multi- 
tude, He  adds,  '  But  be  not  ye  called  liabbi,  for 
one  is  your  Master,  even  Christ,  and  all  ye  are 
brethren.  And  call  no  man  father  upon  earth, 
for  one  is  your  Father  which  is  in  heaven.  I^ei- 
ther  be  ye  called  masters,  for  one  is  your  Master, 
even  Christ'  The  following  expressions  of  Elihu, 
a  pious  young  man  mentioned  in  the  book  of  Job, 
are  applicable  to  the  present  purpose :  '  Let  me 
not,  I  pray  you,  accept  any  man's  person,  neither 
let  me  give  flattering  titles  unto  man  ;  for  I  know 
not  to  give  flattering  titles;  in  so  doing  my  Maker 
would  soon  take  me  away.' 

"  With  respect  to  the  use  of  the  singular  number 
to  one  person,  it  is  the  uniform  practice  in  the 
Holy  Scriptures,  and  indeed  in  all  other  writings, 
to  a  period  long  after  that  in  which  the  last  part 
of  the  Scriptures  was  written.  It  is  not  therefore 
to  be  expected  that  any  allusion  to  a  contrary  prac- 
tice would  be  mentioned  in  them,  but  our  conduct 
in  this  respect  is  consistent  wdtli  *  the  form  of 
sound  words '  recommended  by  Paul  to  Timothy." 

The  first  and  most  pressing  motive  upon  our 
spirits  to  decline  the  practice  of  these  customs, 
pulling  off"  tlie  hat,  bowing  the  body  or  knee,  and 
giving  peop.e   flattering  titles  and  epithets,  was 


136  PLA]  N  LANGUAGE   AND 

that  savour,  sight,  and  sense  of  God,  by  his  light 
and  s})irit,  given  us,  of  the  Christian  world's  apos- 
tasy from  God,  and  the  cause  and  effects  of  that 
great  and  lamentable  defection.  In  the  discovery 
of  which,  the  sense  of  our  state  came  first  before 
us,  and  we  were  made  to  see  Him  whom  we  had 
pierced,  and  to  mourn  for  it.  A  day  of  humilia- 
tion overtook  us,  and  we  fainted  to  that  pleasure 
and  delight  we  once  loved. 

Now,  our  works  went  beforehand  to  judgment, 
and  a  thorough  search  was  made,  and  the  words 
of  the  prophet  became  well  understood  by  us,  viz. : 
"Who  shall  abide  the  day  of  his  coming,  and  who 
shall  stand  when  He  appears?  He  is  like  a  refin- 
er's fire,  and  like  fuller's  soap  ;  "  and  as  the  apos- 
tle said,  "  If  the  righteous  scarcely  be  saved,  where 
shall  the  ungodly  and  the  sinner  appear."  "  "V^Hiere- 
fore,"  says  the  Apostle  Paul,  "  knowing  the  terror 
of  the  Lord,  we  persuade  men."  What  to  do  ?  To 
come  out  of  the  nature,  spirit,  lusts,  and  customs 
of  this  wicked  world,  remembering  that,  as  Jesus 
has  said,  "For  every  idle  word  that  men  shall 
speak,  they  shall  give  an  account  thereof  in  the 
day  of  judgment." 

God  knows  it  was  so  in  this  day.  The  bright- 
ness of  his  coming  to  our  souls  discovered,  and 
the  breath  of  his  mouth  destroyed,  every  plant 
he  had  not  planted  in  us.  He  was  a  swift  witness 
against  every  evil  thought  and  every  unfruitful 
work;    and,  blessed   be    his   name,  we  were  not 


DISUSE  OF  COMPLIMENTS,  ETC.  137 

offended  in  Him,  or  at  his  righteous  judgments. 
JSTow  it  was  that  a  grand  inquest  came  upon  our 
whole  life.  Every  word,  thought,  and  deed  was 
hrought  to  judgment,  the  root  examined,  and  its 
tendency  considered.  The  lust  of  the  eye,  the 
lust  of  the  flesh,  and  the  pride  of  life,  were  opened 
to  our  view,  the  mystery  of  iniquity  in  us.  l!^ow, 
this  I  say,  and  that  in  the  fear  and  presence 
of  me  all-seeing,  just  God,  these  honours  and  re- 
spects of  the  world,  among  other  things,  became 
burdensome  to  us.  We  saw  they  had  no  being  in 
paradise,  that  they  grew  in  the  night-time,  and 
came  from  an  ill  root,  and  only  delighted  a  vain 
and  evil  mind,  and  that  much  pride  and  folly  were 
in  them. 

And  though  it  be  objected,  that  we  seek  to  set 
up  outward  forms  and  preciseness,  and  that  our 
plainness  is  but  a  badge  of  the  party,  the  better  to 
be  known ;  I  do  declare,  in  the  fear  of  Almightj 
God,  that  these  are  but  the  imaginations  and  vain 
constructions  of  insensible  men,  who  have  not  had 
that  sense,  which  the  Lord  hath  given  us,  of  what 
arises  from  the  right  and  the  wrong  root  in  man. 
And  when  such  censurers  of  our  simplicity  shall 
be  inwardly  touched  and  awakened  by  the  mighty 
power  of  God,  and  see  things  as  they  are  in  their 
proper  natures  and  seeds,  they  will  then  know 
their  own  burden,  and  easily  acquit  us,  without 
the  imputation  of  folly  or  hypocrisy  herein. 

To  such  as  say  that  Ave  strain  at  small  things, 
12  * 


138  PLAIN  LANGUAGE   AND 

which  becomes  not  a  people  of  such  fair  preten- 
sions to  liberty  and  freedom  of  spirit,  I  answer 
with  meekness,  truth,  and  sobriety,  that  nothing 
is  small  that  God  makes  matter  of  conscience  to 
do  or  leave  undone,  and  that  as  inconsiderable  as 
they  are  made  by  those  who  raise  this  objection, 
yet  they  are  much  set  by. 

"We  decline  and  refuse  the  use  of  these  customs 
in  our  addresses  and  salutations,  from  the  consid- 
eration of  their  emptiness  and  vanity,  there  being 
nothing  of  true  honour  and  respect  in  them,  sup- 
posing them  not  to  be  evil. 

There  is  no  discovery  of  honour  or  respect  made 
by  them,  it  is  rather  eluding  and  equivocating  it ; 
cheating  people  of  the  honour  and  respect  that  is 
due  to  them ;  giving  them  nothing  in  the  show  of 
something.  There  is  in  them  no  obedience  to  su 
periors,  no  love  to  equals,  no  help  or  countenance 
to  inferiors. 

We  declare  to  the  whole  world  we  are  for  true 
honour  and  respect.  We  honour  the  king,  our 
parents,  our  masters,  our  magistrates,  and  one 
another;  yea,  all  men,  after  God's  way,  used  by 
holy  men  and  women  of  old  time ;  but  we  refuse 
these  customs  as  vain  and  deceitful,  not  answering 
the  end  they  are  used  for. 

If  thou  to  a  single  person  be  improper  and 
uncivil,  God  himself,  all  the  holy  fathers  and 
prophets,  Christ  Jesus  and  his  apostles,  the  prim- 
itive  saints,    and  all   languages    throughout    the 


DISUSE   OP  COMPLIMENTS,  ETC.  139 

world,  are  in  fault,  which  were  great  presumptioc 
to  imagine. 

Another  reason  of  great  weight  "with  me  is,  that 
it  is  a  most  extravagant  piece  of  pride  in  a  mortal 
man  to  require  or  expect  from  his  fellow-creatures 
a  more  civil  speech  or  grateful  language,  than  he 
is  wont  to  give  to  the  immortal  God,  his  Creator, 
in  his  worship  to  him.  Art  thou,  0  man,  greatei 
than  He  that  made  thee  ?  Canst  thou  approach 
the  God  of  thy  breath,  and  the  Judge  of  thy  life, 
with  thou  and  thee,  and  when  thou  ariseth  off  thy 
knees,  scorn  or  ridicule  a  Christian  for  giving  to 
thee,  poor  mushroom  of  the  earth,  no  better  lan- 
guage than  thou  hadst  given  to  God  but  just  be- 
fore? This  were  an  arrogancy  not  easily  to  be 
equalled. 

Certain  we  are  that  the  Spirit  of  God  seeks  not 
these  respects,  much  less  pleads  for  them,  or  would 
be  wroth  with  any  that  conscientiously  refuse  to 
give  them.  But  that  this  vain  generation  is  guilty 
of  using  them,  to  gratify  a  vain  mind,  is  too  palpa- 
ble. "What  capping,  what  cringing,  what  bowing, 
what  vain,  unmeaning  words,  most  extravagant 
expressions,  compliments,  and  gross  flatteries,  and 
even  plain  lies,  under  the  name  of  civilities,  are 
men  and  women  guilty  of  in  conversation !  Ah ! 
my  friends,  whence  fetch  you  these  examples? 
Wliat  part  of  all  the  writings  of  the  holy  men  of 
God  warrants  these  things  ?  Is  Christ  your  exam- 
ple herein,  whose  name  you  profess  1o  bear.     Or 


140  PLAIN  LANGUAGE,  ETC. 

are  those  saints  of  old  that  lived  in  desolate  places, 
of  whom  the  world  was  not  worthy  ?  Do  you  think 
yon  follow  the  practices  of  those  Christians  who, 
in  obedience  to  their  Master's  life  and  doctrine, 
forsook  tlie  respect  of  persons,  and  relinquished 
the  fashions,  honour,  and  glory  of  this  transitory 
world,  whose  qualifications  lay  not  in  the  gestures, 
respects,  and  compliments  of  the  world,  but  in  a 
meek  and  quiet  spirit  adorned  with  temperance, 
virtue,  modesty,  gravity,  patience,  and  brotherly 
kindness,  the  tokens  of  true  honour,  and  badges 
of  respect  and  nobility  in  those  Christian  times. 

And  tell  us  truly,  are  not  romances,  plays,  balls, 
games  and  music,  the  entertainments  that  most 
delight  you  ?  Had  you  the  spirit  of  Christianity 
indeed,  could  you  consume  your  most  precious 
little  time  in  so  many  unnecessary  visits,  games, 
and  pastimes,  in  your  vain  compliments,  feigned 
stories,  flatteries,  and  foolish,  novelties,  invented 
and  used  for  diversion,  to  make  you  easy  in  your 
forgetfulness  of  God  ?  Oh !  were  3'ou  truly  touched 
with  a  sense  of  your  sins,  and  in  any  measure  born 
again,  did  you  take  up  the  cross  of  Jesus  and  live 
under  it,  these  things  which  so  much  please  your 
wanton  and  earthly  nature,  would  find  no  place 
with  you.  This  is  not  seeking  the  things  that  are 
above,  nor  working  out  your  own  salvation  with 
fear  and  trembling.  This  i^  not  crying  with  Elihu, 
"  I  know  not  to  give  flattering  titles  to  men,  for  in 
BO  doing  my  Maker  would  soon  take  me  away." 


ON   THE    NAMES   OF   THE    DAYS,  ETC.       141 

Tliis  is  not  to  deny  self,  and  lay  up  a  more  hidden 
and  enduring  treasure,  an  eternal  inheritance  in 
the  heavens  that  will  not  pass  away.  Your  plea 
of  custom  will  find  no  place  at  God's  tribunal. 
The  light  of  Christ  in  your  own  hearts  will  over- 
rule it,  and  the  spirit  against  which  we  testify  will 
then  appear  to  be  what  we  say  it  is.  Say  not  I  am 
serious  about  slight  things :  beware  you  of  levity 
in  serious  things. —  W.  Penn. 

On  the  Names  of  the  Days  and  Months. 

The  children  of  Israel  were  strictly  commanded 
not  only  to  abstain  from  the  idolatrous  practices 
of  the  heathen  nations,  but  not  even  to  make 
mention  of  the  names  of  their  gods.  This  was  a 
perpetual  ordinance,  respecting  the  honour  of  the 
one  only  true  God,  and  obligatory  on  all  who  con- 
fess that  "  the  Lord,  he  is  God,  and  there  is  none 
else  besides  him  ;  "  who  says,  "  I  will  not  give  my 
glory  to  another,  nor  my  praise  to  graven  images." 

It  was  in  the  time  of  degeneracy  that  professing 
Christians,  regardless  of  this  command,  lapsed  into 
the  custom  of  calling  the  names  of  some  of  the 
months  after  heathen  deities,  a  practice  the  more 
surprising,  as  the  religion  of  the  gospel  so  greatly 
exceeds  in  purity  and  perfection  that  of  the  law. 

Convinced  of  the  obligation  of  the  command, 
both  by  the  testimony  of  Holy  Scripture  and  the 
manifestations  of  the  light  of  Christ,  which  leada 
from  all  that  would  dishonour  the  holy  name  of 


142  ON   THE    NAMES   OF   THE 

the  Loid,  either  in  word  or  deed,  our  early  Friends 
were  restrained  from  tlie  use  of  those  names  of  tlie 
months  and  days,  which  had  been  given  them  in 
honour  of  idols,  or  in  conformity  with  their  false 
worship. 

The  importance  of  this  Christian  testimony  will 
be  more  clearly  seen,  by  the  following  brief  ac- 
count of  the  origin  of  the  names  of  some  of  the 
months. 

January  was  so  called  from  Janus,  whom  hea- 
thenish superstition  had  deiiied,  and  to  whom  a 
temple  was  built  and  this  month  dedicated. 

February  was  so  called  from  Februa,  a  word  de- 
noting purgation  by  sacrifices ;  it  being  usual  for 
the  priests  of  the  heathen  god  Pan  to  offer  sacri- 
fices and  perform  certain  rites  in  this  month,  under 
a  pretence  of  purifying  the  people. 

March  was  so  denominated  from  Mars,  the 
feigned  god  of  war. 

April  derives  its  name  from  a  Greek  appellation 
of  Venus,  an  imaginary  goddess  of  the  Romans. 

May,  so  called  from  Maia,  mother  of  Mercury, 
a  pretended  deity,  to  whom,  in  this  month  par- 
ticularly, devotion  was  paid. 

June,  from  Juno,  another  of  the  feigned  god- 
desses of  the  heathen. 

July,  so  called  from  Julius  Csesar,  whose  pride 
led  him  to  give  his  name  to  this  month,  which 
before  was  called  Quintilis,  the  Fifth. 

August,  so  named  in  honour  of  the  Roman  Em- 


DAYS   AXD    MONTHS,  ETC.  143 

peror  Augustus  Cfesar.  It  was  previously  called 
Sextilis,  tlie  Sixth. 

The  other  four  months  still  retain  their  numer- 
ical Latin  names,  viz.:  September  (7th),  October 
(8th),  JSTovember  (9th),  December  (10th),  which, 
since  the  change  made  in  the  year  1752,  are  im- 
properly applied. 

The  idolatrous  Saxons  called  the  days  of  the 
week  according  to  the  name  of  the  idol  who  was 
particularly  worshipped  on  each  day :  thus. 

The  first  day  of  the  week  was  called  Sunday, 
from  their  customary  adoration  of  the  sun  on  that 
day. 

The  second  was  called  Monday,  because  specially 
devoted  to  the  worship  of  the  moon. 

The  third  day  was  named  Tuesday,  in  honour 
of  their  idol  Tuisco. 

The  fourth  day  was  called  Wednesday,  ^om 
Woden,  another  of  their  idols. 

The  fifth  day  w^as  called  Thursday,  from  the 
name  of  the  idol  Thor,  worshipped  on  that  day. 

The  sixth  day  was  termed  Friday,  in  honour  of 
Friga,  a  heathen  goddess. 

The  seventh  day  they  styled  Saturday,  from 
Saturn  or  Seater,  w^orshipped  on  that  day. 

In  the  days  of  popish  superstition,  not  only  was 
the  use  of  such  heathenish  names  indulged,  but 
ceremonies  and  sacrifices  were  imposed  upon  the 
people  under  the  false  pretence  of  Christian  rites. 
From  this  corrupt  source  sprang  the  popish  sacri- 


144  MODERATIOX   AXD    PLAINNESS 

fice  of  the  mass,  the  celebration  of  which,  on  par- 
ticular occasions,  gave  rise  to  the  vulgar  names  of 
Christmas,  Martinmas,  Candlemas,  and  such  like. 
These  appellations  of  days,  months,  and  times, 
being  of  idolatrous  or  superstitious  origin,  contrary 
to  the  divine  command,  to  the  practice  of  holy 
men  in  former  ages,  and  at  variance  with  the 
purity  of  the  religion  of  Christ,  the  Society  of 
Friends  has  felt  itself  called  to  bear  a  testimony 
against  the  use  of  them,  and  to  encourage  its 
members,  regardless  of  the  reproach  of  singularity, 
or  the  specious  reasonings  of  those  who  would 
evade  the  cross  of  Christ,  and  lower  the  standard 
of  Christian  principle,  to  keep  to  the  language  of 
truth,  and  denominate  the  months  and  days  accord- 
ing to  the  plain  scriptural  method,  which  is  far 
more  rational  and  perspicuous. — Epistle,  1751. 

Moderation  and  Plainness  in  Living,  Sj-c. 

As  the  true  Christian  life  is  the  fruit  of  the 
inward  sanctiiication  of  the  heart,  by  the  spirit  and 
power  of  Christ  Jesus,  so  we  believe  that  they  who 
experience  that  blessed  work  in  themselves,  will 
be  redeemed  from  the  pride  and  vanity  of  the 
w*orld,  and  the  practices  which  grow  out  of  them, 
and  be  brought  into  the  simplicity  and  self-denial, 
enjoined  by  Him  who  was  himself  "  meek  and 
lowly  of  heart."  Minds  which  are  happily  bent 
upon  seeking  a  more  glorious  and  enduring  inher- 
itance than  temporal  enjoyments  can  give,   will 


IN   LIVING,  ETC.  145 

have  little  relisli  for  the  fashions,  the  grandeur,  or 
the  empty  compliments  of  a  world  that  lieth  in 
wickedliess,  but  will  be  striving  to  fulfil  the  in- 
junction ot  the  apostle,  "Be  not  conformed  to 
this  world,  but  be  ye  transformed  by  the  renewing 
of  your  minds,  that  ye  may  prove  what  is  that 
good  and  acceptable,  and  perfect  will  of  God"  con- 
cerning you. 

It  Is  with  sorrow  we  observe  that  many  under  our 
name,  in  this  day  of  ease  and  prosperity,  wherein 
the  means  of  indulging  pride  and  ambition  are 
easily  obtained,  have  swerved  from  that  Christian 
simplicity  and  plainness  in  habit,  speech  and  de- 
portment, and  in  the  furniture  of  their  houses  and 
manner  of  living,  which  the  gospel  enjoins,  and 
which  become  men  and  women  professing  godli- 
ness. 

Some,  to  excuse  ,or  palliate  their  departures  in 
these  respects,  speak  of  them  as  "  little  things," 
and  of  small  moment;  thereby  endeavoring  to 
lower  that  standard  of  moderation  and  self-denial, 
which  is  set  before  us  in  the  Holy  Scriptures,  and 
which  the  Witness  for  Truth  raised  in  the  hearts 
of  our  forefathers,  and  still  calls  all  to  uphold. 
"We  believe  that  nothing  can  be  called  little  which 
forms  a  p^ii:  of  our  duty  to  God,  and  that  the  dis- 
position to  lessen  these  testimonies,  as  well  as  the 
unwillingness  to  conform  to  them,  arises  from  the 
unsubdued  will  and  unmortij&ed  pride  of  the 
human  heart,  wMch  shuns  the  offence  of  the  cross. 

13 


146  MODERATION   AND    PLAINNESS 

It  is  upon  the  simplicity  of  the  Truth  as  it  is  in 
Jesus,  whose  whole  life  was  one  of  contradiction 
to  the  grandeur  and  glory  of  this  woi'ld,  and  on 
the  heart-changing  nature  of  the  religion  which  He 
introduced,  that  our  testimony  to  plainness  and 
moderation  rests.  And  why  is  it  that  any  seek 
to  he  conformed  to  the  world  in  these  things,  and 
to  imitate  its  fashions  and  customs  ?  Is  it  not  to 
be  like  the  people  of  the  world;  from  a  desire  to 
emulate  their  style  of  living,  to  escape  the  cross, 
and  that  mortification  which  arises  fi'om  being 
considered  strict  or  narrow-minded  ?  We  believe, 
if  such  would  search  closely  into  the  secret  motives 
which  lie  at  the  bottom  of  these  worldly  compli- 
ances, they  would  find  they  had  their  origin 
in  that  love  of  th^  world,  respecting  which  it  is 
declared,  that  if  any  man  indulge  it,  the  love  of 
the  Father  is  not  in  him.  We  affectionately  en- 
treat all  seriously  to  ponder  the  path  they  are 
pursuing,  and  inquire  of  the  blessed  Witness  for 
God  in  their  own  hearts,  whether  it  is  that  strait 
and  narrow  way,  which  their  dear  Redeemer  trod 
before  them,  who  "  Set  us  an  example  that  we 
should  follow  his  steps."  As  these  sufi:er  him  to 
arise  in  their  hearts,  and  plead  his  own  cause ;  and 
give  themselves  up  to  his  leading ;  He  will  bring 
them  out  of  these  indulgences  into  a  conformity  to 
his  divine  will,  strengthening  them  with  holy 
magnanimity  and  firmness,  to  deny  themselves, 
and  to  despise  the  shame  or  the  reproach  which 


IN   LIVING,  ETC.  147 

the  ungodly  world  may  attach  to  their  humble, 
simple  way  of  life ;  and  give  them  to  partake  of 
that  peace  which  is  the  enriching  reward  of  obedi- 
ence. 

Some,  who  are  themselves  consistent  in  their 
personal  appearance  and  deportment,  have  gone  out 
into  greater  show  and  expense  in  the  furniture  of 
their  houses  and  their  style  of  living,  than  the 
proper  sphere  of  the  humble  follower  of  Christ 
will  justify.  Besides  the  inconsistency  of  these 
departures,  we  would  invite  our  dear  friends  to  a 
serious  consideration  of  the  effects  which  such  a 
course  of  life  will  be  likely  to  have  upon  their 
beloved  offspring.  If  they  see  the  parents  gratify- 
ing a  vain  mind  in  these  things,  can  it  reasonably 
be  expected  that  the  children  will  be  disposed  to 
submit  to  the  restraints  of  the  cross  in  their  dresa 
and  language;  or  will  they  not  rather  conclude, 
that  if  the  other  is  allowed  by  the  parents,  the 
latter  cannot  be  more  inconsistent  for  them. 

Such  a  mode  of  life,  moreover,  attracts  a  de- 
scription of  company  which  is  not  congenial  to  a 
growth  in  a  religious  life  and  conversation,  and 
often  opens  a  door  for  leading  the  young  people 
into  many  hurtful  things,  which  prove  of  lasting  in- 
j  ury  to  their  susceptible  minds.  We  mourn  over  the 
effects  which  are  already  apparent  in  some  places 
and  families,  and  believe  it  is  highly  necessary 
that  a  living  concern  should  be  raised  among  us, 
to   make  a  firm   stand  against  the  inroads  of  a 


148    CHILDREN   AND   DOMESTIC   TRAINING. 

worldly  spirit  in  these  respects.  Copying  after 
others  in  these  things  and  pleading  the  example 
of  others  to  justify  their  own  departures,  or  to 
silence  the  secret  uneasiness  raised  in  the  mind, 
has  been,  we  believe,  a  fruitful  source  of  weakness 
and  wrong  compliance.  The  day  calls  loudly  upon 
us  to  gather  home  into  our  own  hearts,  and  consult 
the  divine  monitor  there,  which  we  have  no  doubt 
will  bear  a  faithful  testimony  for  Truth,  and  lead 
us  to  put  away  everything  which  is  unbecoming 
the  simplicity,  moderation  and  humility  of  the 
self-denying  Christian. —  Y.  M.  Epistle. 

Children  and  Domestic  Training. 

"When  parents  are  primarily  concerned  to  train 
up  their  children  for  heaven,  rather  than  to  gain 
for  them  a  character  and  standing  among  the  rich, 
the  popular,  or  the  honourable  of  this  world,  they 
will  not  only  be  engaged,  like  some  of  old,  to  bring 
them  to  Jesus,  that  they  may  learn  of  him,  but 
will  avail  themselves  of  every  means  which  may 
serve  as  a  help  in  the  early  subjection  of  the  will, 
and  that  discipline  of  the  cross,  which  so  essen- 
tially contribute  to  the  future  comfort  of  the  child ; 
and,  like  breaking  up  the  fallow  ground,  prepare 
it  for  the  reception  of  the  heavenly  seed.  In  this 
important  work,  the  restraints  of  simplicity  and 
plainness  in  habit,  speech  and  demeanour,  form 
important  auxiliaries,  curbing  the  proud  and  aspir 
ing  dispositions  of  youth,  and  serving  as  an  im- 


CHILDREN  AND   DOMESTIC  TRAINING.    149 

portant  hedge  about  them  during  a  critical  and 
exposed  period  of  life.  The  same  remarks  may  be 
made  as  respects  a  plain,  simple  mode  of  living, 
and  the  firm  but  gentle  control  which  springs  up 
in  a  well  regulated  Christian  family ;  the  unspeak- 
able benefits  of  which  many  have  had  gratefully  to 
aclaiowledge  in  after  years  as  having  been  a  means 
of  preservation,  however  irksome  they  sometimes 
found  them  to  their  unsubjected  tempers. 

"We  wish  seriously  to  call  the  attention  to  a 
practice,  which  we  fear  is  a  growing  evil,  of  col- 
lecting large  companies  of  young  people,  and  often 
detaining  them  until  an  unreasonable  hour  of  the 
night,  breaking  in  upon  the  order  of  a  well  regu- 
lated family,  and  exposing  the  youth  to  many 
temptations.  We  believe  it  is  of  very  hurtful 
tendency,  and  requires  the  vigilant  care  of  well 
concerned  parents  and  others  to  check  and  prevent 
it.  How  much  of  the  demeanour  and  conversation 
which  passes  on  such  occasions,  is  of  a  very  light 
and  frivolous  character,  even  if  it  be  no  worse ; 
unworthy  of  beings  endowed  by  a  beneficent 
Creator  with  noble  powers  of  mind,  designed  to 
be  employed  to  his  glory  and  the  good  of  each 
other ;  and  wholly  unbecoming  the  gravity  of  the 
Christian,  who  feels  the  responsibility  of  his  high 
calling,  and  knows  that  for  every  idle  word  that 
men  shall  speak,  they  must  give  an  account  in  the 
day  of  judgment!  How  much  idle  curiosity  and 
evil  emulation  are  often  awakened  'especting  the 


150  AMUSEMENTS. 

dress  of  individuals,  or  the  character  of  the  enter- 
tainment, each  one  trying  to  outvie  others,  and 
set  themselves  off  to  advantage,  while  the  excite- 
ment of  mind  and  feelings  which  is  produced,  and 
the  insincerity  and  display  prompted  by  the  desire 
to  please,  are  very  uncongenial  with  the  formation 
of  a  sound  religious  and  moral  character.  The 
great  end  of  society  is  mutual  improvement  and 
rational  enjoyment;  but  we  think  there  are  few 
who  attend  these  parties,  but  must  acknowledge 
that  they  are  far  from  being  occasions  of  improve- 
ment, or  yielding  the  mind  any  calm,  substantial 
pleasure. —  Y.  M.  Epistle. 

Amusements. 

Let  us  consider  the  use  of  games,  sports,  plays, 
and  other  such  amusements,  and  see  whether  these 
things  can  consist  with  the  seriousness,  gravity  and 
godly  fear  which  the  gospel  calls  for.  The  apostle 
commands  us  that  "Whether  we  eat  or  drink, 
or  whatever  we  do,  we  should  do  all  to  the 
glory  of  God."  But  I  judge  none  will  affirm,  that 
in  the  use  of  sports  and  games,  God  is  glorified. 
If  any  should  say  so,  they  would  declare  they 
neither  knew  God  nor  his  glory.  Experience 
abundantly  proves,  that  in  the  practice  of  these 
things,  men  mind  nothing  less  than  the  glory  of 
God,  and  nothing  more  than  the  satisfaction  of 
their  own  carnal  lusts,  wills  and  appetites. 

The  apostle  declares,  that  because  the  time  is 


AMUSEMENTS.  151 

short,  they  that  buy  should  be  as  though  they 
possessed  not,  and  the}^  that  use  this  world  as  not 
abusing  it.  But  how  can  those  be  found  in  the 
obedience  of  this  precept,  wlio  plead  for  the  use 
of  these  games  and  sports ;  who,  it  seems,  think  tlie 
time  so  long,  that  they  cannot  find  occasions 
enough  to  employ  it;  neither  in  taking  care  for 
their  souls,  nor  yet  in  the  necessary  care  for  their 
bodies,  but  invent  these  sports  and  amusements  to 
pass  it  away,  as  if  there  was  not  enough  else  to  do, 
in  which  they  might  serve  God  or  be  useful  to  the 
creation ! 

The  apostle  Peter  enjoins  us  to  "  pass  the  time 
of  our  sojourning  here  in  fear."  But  will  any  say 
that  such  as  use  dancing  and  comedies,  playing 
cards  and  dice,  &c.,  mind  this  precept  in  the  use 
of  these  things ;  where  there  is  little  to  be  seen  but 
lightness  and  vanity,  wantonness  and  even  ob- 
scenity, contrived  to  draw  men  from  the  fear  of 
God,  and  therefore  calculated  for  the  service  of  the 
de^'il  ? 

There  is  no  duty  more  frequently  commanded, 
or  more  incumbent  upon  Christians,  than  the  fear 
of  the  Lord :  to  stand  in  awe  before  him,  and  to 
walk  as  in  his  presence.  But  if  such  as  use  these 
amusements  will  speak  from  their  consciences, 
they  can,  I  doubt  not,  experimentally  declare,  that 
this  fear  is  forgotten  in  their  sports ;  and  if  God  by 
his  light  secretly  touch  them,  or  remind  them  of 
the  vanity  of  their  conduct,  they  strive  to  shut  it 


162  AMUSEMENTS. 

out,  and  use  their  amusements  as  an  engine  to  put 
away  from  them  that  troublesome  guest,  and  thus 
make  merry  over  the  just  One,  whom  they  are 
crucifying  in  themselves. 

K  Christ's  reasoning  is  to  be  heeded,  who  saith 
that  the  good  man  out  of  the  good  treasure  of  his 
heart  bringeth  forth  good  things ;  and  an  evil  man 
out  of  the  evil  treasure  bringeth  forth  evil  things; 
and  that  "  for  every  idle  word,  we  shall  give  an 
account  in  the  day  of  judgment,"  it  may  be  easily 
gathered  from  what  treasure  these  inventions  come, 
and  as  easily  proved  that  it  is  from  the  evil  and 
not  the  good.  How  man}'  idle  words  do  they  ne- 
cessarily produce  ?  What  are  plays  but  a  studied 
compound  of  idle  and  lying  words  ?  Let  men  that 
believe  their  souls  are  immortal,  and  that  there 
will  be  a  day  of  judgment,  in  which  tliese  words 
of  Christ  will  be  fulfilled,  answer  me;  how  will 
they  make  account  in  that  great  and  terrible  day, 
for  all  those  idle  words  that  are  made  use  of  in 
their  dancing,  games,  playing  cards,  and  acting  of 
plays  ? 

If  these  things  were  discountenanced  by  those 
called  Christians,  as  inconsistent  with  their  profes- 
sion, a  great  scandal  and  stumbling-block  would 
be  removed  from  the  Christian  name;  so  also 
would  a  part  of  that  be  taken  away  which  pro- 
vokes the  Lord  to  withhold  his  blessing;  and  by 
reason  of  which,  the  minds  of  many  remain  in 
darkness,    drowned    in    sensuality    and    worldly 


AMUSEMENTS.  163 

pleasures,  without  the  sense  of  God's  fear  or  their 
own  soul's  salvation. — B.  Barclay. 

Among  the  striking  characteristics  of  the  pres- 
ent day,  are  the  instability  and  love  of  excitement 
which  pervade  the  minds  of  the  people.  Many, 
even  among  the  professors  of  religion,  seem  to  be 
"  lovers  of  pleasure  more  than  lovers  of  God ;  " 
looking  abroad  for  sources  of  gratification,  and 
eagorly  pursuing  anticipated  pleasures,  instead  of 
endeavouring  to  secure  from  the  present  hour  as  it 
passes,  those  tranquil  enjoyments  which  are  the 
fruit  of  well-doing,  and  to  cultivate  that  retire- 
ment and  mental  introversion,  in  which  we  may 
profitably  commune  with  our  own  heart  and  be 
still.  One  of  the  eftects  of  this  state  of  unsettle- 
ment,  is  the  great  increase  of  public  amusements 
and  pastimes,  which  has  latterly  become  so  obvious; 
for,  as  the  eye  is  never  satisfied  with  seeing,  nor 
the  ear  with  hearing,  so  when  the  mind  is  let 
out  to  seek  gratification  in  these  vanities,  the  de- 
sire for  them  increases  with  the  indulgence ;  and  it 
is  constantly  requiring  new  objects  to  please  the 
senses,  and  to  fill  the  aching  void  which  they  leave 
behind  them.  Often  after  having  run  the  giddy 
round,  in  the  vain  pursuit  of  pleasure,  there  is  a 
secret  sense  of  bitter  disappointment,  and  a  con- 
sciousness that  these  empty  trifles  cannot  satisfy 
the  longings  of  an  immortal  mind,  designed  for 
nobler  and  purer  enjoyments. 

We  apprehend  that  many  of  the  lectures  and 


154  READING. 

readings,  witli  other  kindred  exhibitions,  are  of 
latter  time,  either  so  objectionable  in  themselves, 
or  so  mixed  up  with  improper  associations,  that 
parents  and  others  have  need  to  be  on  their  guard, 
lest  in  going  themselves,  or  allowing  their  children 
to  attend,  they  should  be  promoting  a  dissipation 
of  mind,  and  an  exposure  to  hurtful  influences,  the 
consequences  of  which  may  be  long  and  injuriously 
felt.  To  say  nothing  of  the  more  pernicious  kinds 
of  diversion,  it  is  often  the  case  that  pastimes  and 
shows,  which  seem  at  first  view  to  be  of  a  more  in- 
nocent character,  when  they  are  strictly  inquired 
into,  are  found  to  be  attended  with  accompaniments 
which  are  not  such  as  a  Christian  ought  to  counte- 
nance. We  believe  there  is,  at  the  present  time 
particularly,  great  need  for  all  to  be  studiously 
watchful,  how  they  yield  to  the  solicitation  to 
attend  on  such  occasions,  lest  they  baulk  their  re- 
ligious profession,  encourage  wrong  things,  and 
thereby  wound  and  weaken  their  own  minds. —  Y. 
M.  Epistle. 

Reading. 

Another  great  evil  of  the  present  time,  is  the 
flood  of  light  literature  pouring  almost  daily  from 
the  press.  Many  of  the  publications,  even  some 
that  profess  to  be  promotive  of  morality,  are  of  a 
mixed  character,  truth  and  fiction  being  artfully 
blended  together,  and  an  attraction  thrown  around 
the  whole,  which  easily  captivates  the  unguarded. 


MUSIC.  155 

It  is  caus  3  of  regret  to  observe  ttie  multiplicatiou 
of  books  of  this  description,  and  we  fear  the  peru- 
sal of  tliom,  and  the  taste  for  this  flimsy  and  per- 
nicious reading  are  on  the  increase.  We  believe 
its  tendency  is  decidedly  evil,  creating  a  disrelish 
for  the  practical  duties  and  sober  realities  of  life, 
dissipating  the  energies  of  the  mind,  and  habituat- 
ing it  to  a  state  of  excitement,  which  is  unfavourable 
to  calm  and  serious  reflection.  It  creates  moreover 
a  distaste  for  profitable  reading,  and  a  morbid  appe- 
tite for  that  which  stimulates  the  imagination,  ren- 
dering religious  meditation  and  solid  thoughtful- 
ness  irksome  and  repulsive.  We  affectionately 
exhort  all,  not  only  to  avoid  such  reading  them- 
selves, but  to  discountenance  it  in  others,  and 
especially  to  restrain  the  children  and  youth  from 
the  pernicious  effects  of  this  practice,  endeavouring 
to  cultivate  in  their  minds  a  love  for  instructive 
reading,  and  such  as  will  lead  to  the  contemplation 
of  heavenly  things. —  Y.  M.  Epistle. 

^  Music. 

Amongst  the  gratifications  of  sense  from  which 
the  members  of  our  religious  Society,  by  common 
consent,  growing  out  of  what  we  believe  to  be  a 
root  of  Christian  principle,  have  with  much  unani- 
mity felt  themselves  restrained,  are  the  study  and 
practice  of  music.  That  which  is  of  the  character 
ordinarily  designated  as  sacred  music,  not  unfro- 


156  MUSIC. 

quently  stimulates  expressions  and  feelings  which 
are  far  from  being  the  genuine  breathings  of  a  re- 
newed heart;  and  tends  to  delude  the  mind  bj 
producing  an  excitement  often  unhappily  mistaken 
for  devotion,  and  to  withdraw  the  soul  from  that 
quiet,  humble  and  retired  frame,  in  which  prayer 
and  praise  may  be  truly  oiFered,  with  the  spirit  and 
with  the  understanding  also. 

As  to  those  musical  exhibitions  in  which  an  at- 
tempt is  made  to  combine  religion  with  a  certain 
amount  of  amusement,  it  is  hard  to  understand 
how  a  truly  Christian  mind  can  allow  itself  to 
sanction  the  profanation  of  the  sacred  name  and 
sacred  things,  by  the  attendance  of  such  perform- 
ances ;  where  the  most  awful  events  recorded  in 
Holy  Scripture  are  made  the  subject  of  professed 
entertainment  to  an  indiscriminate  assembly,  many 
of  whom  make  no  pretension  to  religion. 

That  music,  on  the  other  hand,  which  does  not 
in  any  degree  partake  of  the  character  usually  des- 
ignated as  sacred,  has, we  fear,  in  innumerable  in- 
stances, allured  the  feet  of  the  young  to  the  light- 
ness, the  gayety,  and  even  the  dissipation  of  the 
world,  and  thus  proved  among  the  many  snares 
against  which  we  are  enjoined  fervently  to  pray, 
"Lead  us  not  into  temptation."  The  Christian 
cannot  surel}^  devote  hours  and  days  to  pursuits  of 
this  description,  without  being  in  danger  of  un- 
faithfulness in  his  stewardship  of  that  time  which 
he  is  called  upon  to  "  redeem,"  and  of  impairing 


CONCLUSION.  157 

that  tenderness  of  conscience,  and  that  filial  fear 
of  offending  God,  which  are  among  the  most  pre- 
cious evidences  of  the  work  of  grace  in  the  heart. 
— London  Epistle. 

We  would  renewedly  caution  all  our  members 
against  indulging  in  music,  or  having  instruments 
of  music  in  their  houses ;  believing  that  the  prac- 
tice tends  to  promote  a  light  and  vain  mind,  and 
to  disqualify  for  the  serious  thoughtfulness  which 
becomes  an  accountable  being,  hastening  to  his 
final  reckoning.  When  we  consider  that  our 
days  pass  swiftly  away,  and  that  our  time  is  one  of 
the  talents  committed  to  our  trust,  for  the  employ- 
ment of  which,  we  shall  have  to  render  an  account 
in  the  day  of  judgment;  it  becomes  us  to  be  living 
as  strangers  and  pilgrims  upon  earth,  seeking  a 
better  country;  and  to  be  diligently  using  it  for 
the  great  end  for  which  it  is  lent  to  us,  even  in 
working  out  the  soul's  salvation  in  fear  and  trem- 
bling, and  not  in  vain  amusements,  or  corrupting 
pleasures;  but  striving  that  whether  we  eat  or 
drink,  or  whatsoever  we  do,  we  may  do  all  to  the 
glory  of  God ;  that  "  God  in  all  things  may  be 
glorified  by  us  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord." — 
Y.  M.  Epistle. 

Conclusion. 

It  is  no  less  the  privilege  and  interest,  than  it  is 
the  duty  of  Christians,  to  be  diligent  in  the  use  of 
these  means  which  a  merciful  Providence  has  placed 

14 


158  CJNCLUSION. 

within  their  reach,  for  attaining  a  correct  knowl- 
edge of  the  principles  and  practices  of  our  holy 
religion. 

If  we  have  a  proper  sense  of  the  shortness  and 
uncertainty  of  life,  of  our  responsibility  as  account- 
able and  immortal  beings,  and  of  the  vast  import- 
ance of  the  concerns  which  relate  to  the  salvation 
of  the  soul,  we  shall  not  rest  satisfied,  without  a 
careful  inquiry  into  the  truth  of  those  doctrines 
and.  precepts,  by  which  we  profess  to  regulate  our 
conduct,  and  on  which  we  build  our  hopes  of 
happiness,  in  a  world  that  will  never  have  an  end. 
We  shall  frequently  ponder  the  inspired,  pages  of 
Holy  Writ,  as  the  divinely  authorized  record  of 
the  Christian  religion,  and  raise  our  hearts  in  as- 
pirations to  our  heavenly  Father  for  the  light  of 
his  Holy  Spirit,  to  illumine  our  darkness,  and  give 
us  the  saving  knowledge  of  the  Truth  as  it  is  in 
Jesus. 

Nor  will  it  be  less  interesting  to  us,  to  trace  out 
the  result  of  these  principles,  as  exhibited  in  the 
examples  of  those  who  have  gone  before  us ;  to 
inquire  what  fruits  of  holiness  they  produced  in 
their  conduct  and  conversation ;  what  support  they 
derived  from  them  amid  the  trials  inseparable 
from  mortal  existence,  and  what  consolation  and 
hof  e  they  yielded  in  the  hours  of  disease  and  of 
death. 

If  in  the  course  of  our  researches,  we  discover 
that  they  were  remarkable  for  their  justice,  their 


CONCLUSION.  169 

integrity,  their  meekness  and  humility;  were 
patient  under  suffering,  even  when  wrongfully 
inflicted ;  zealously  devoted  to  the  cause  of  Christ, 
and  cheerfully  given  up  to  spend  their  time  and 
substance  for  its  advancement;  blameless  and 
harmless,  in  the  midst  of  a  crooked  and  perverse 
generation,  amongst  whom  they  shone  as  lights  in 
the  world ;  we  may  be  assured  that  the  tree  whence 
those  fruits  of  the  gospel  sprung  could  not  be  evil. 
The  faith  which  showed  itself  by  such  works  of 
righteousness,  must  be  that  by  which  the  saints  of 
old  "  obtained  a  good  report,"  and  which  was 
their  victory  over  the  world. 

If  we  follow  them  to  the  chamber  of  sickness 
and  to  the  bed  of  death,  witness  the  tranquillity 
and  composure  of  their  spirits;  their  humble,  yet 
steadfast  reliance  on  the  mercy  of  God,  through 
Christ  Jesus;  their  peace  and  joy  in  believing; 
and  their  hope  full  of  immortality  and  eternal  life ; 
we  shall  not  only  derive  the  strongest  evidence  of 
the  soundness  of  their  Christian  belief,  but,  in  ad- 
miration of  its  blessed  and  happy  effects,  be  incited 
to  follow  them,  as  they  followed  Christ. 

The  records  of  the  Society  of  Friends  show  a 
long  list  of  worthies,  whose  dying  hours  and  say- 
ings bear  ample  testimony  that  the  principles  in 
which  they  lived,  and  by  which  they  endeavoured 
to  regulate  their  actions,  did  not  fail  them  in  the 
near  prospect  of  death  and  eternity;  but  admin- 
istered that  support,  consolatifin,  and   animating 


160  CONCLUSION. 

hope,  whicli  give  to  tlie  death-bed  of  the  Chrislian 
its  peculiar  interest.  It  is  especially  obligatory  on 
the  members  to  be  conversant  in  these  matters. 
Ignorance  of  them,  where  the  means  of  informa- 
tion are  accessible,  is  discreditable,  if  not  culpable. 
We  should  be  prepared  to  give  to  every  one  that 
asketh  us,  a  reason  for  our  faith  and  hope.  If  the 
things  which  belong  to  our  peace  have  a  due  place 
in  our  affections,  we  shall  meditate  with  pleasure 
on  the  experience  of  those  who  have  trodden  the 
strait  and  narrow  way  before  us.  The  fervour  of 
our  piety,  the  strength  of  our  attachment  to  reli- 
gious truth,  will  be  promoted  by  frequently  peru- 
sing their  excellent  writings,  and  dwelling  in 
serious  contemplation  on  the  bright  example  they 
have  left  us,  adorned  with  the  Christian  graceo, 
and  inviting  us  to  follow  in  their  footsteps. 

To  whatever  department  of  human  pursuit  Ave 
direct  our  attention,  we  perceive  that  men  delight 
in  the  productions  of  congenial  minds.  He  who 
finds  that  he  has  little  relish  for  serious  things,  and 
that  it  is  difficult  to  fix  his  attention  upon  them, 
may  safel}'^  infer  that  his  heart  is  not  right  in  the 
sight  of  God,  nor  its  aspirations  earnestly  directed 
towards  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  The  religious 
man  delights  to  dwell  on  those  things  which  con- 
cern the  salvation  of  his  soul.  He  feels  a  lively 
interest  in  the  saints  and  holy  men  who  have 
entered  the  celestial  city  before  him ;  and  as  he 
contemplates  their  blameless,  self-denying   walk. 


CONCLUSION.  161 

their  faith  and  patience  under  trials,  their  simple 
obedience  and  dedication  to  the  will  of  God ;  and 
above  all,  the  blessed  hope  of  an  eternal  inher- 
itance, which  shed  a  bright  radiance  around  their 
dying  beds,  his  soul  kindles  with  desire  to  arise, 
take  up  his  cross  and  gird  himself  anew  for  the 
heavenly  journey,  and  with  increased  diligence  and 
ardour,  to  press  towards  the  mark  for  the  prize  of 
his  high  calling  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus. 

14  ♦ 


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